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by Mythical-Iaf
Summary: Iaf led a sad life, one day her friend gave her a necklace that had a tiny metal feather attached to it, that night she packed up all her Tsubasa books and put it on, in a flash of light she found herself in the arms of the one she least expected.
1. Chapter 1

"Thank you, I'll see you next week!" A girl with waist length black hair and amethyst colored eyes, cried out to the bookstore owner as she left the store clutching a book to her chest, "I finally have it, the final book of Tsubasa" She said before running off to meet her friend for lunch.

"Iaf!" a voice called out to her when she got to the park, Iaf turned around to see her best friend Alyx sitting under the sakura tree waiting for her.

Iaf walked over to her and sat down putting her bag down next to her "I got some food" she said smiling, Alyx looked up at her "cool, what's that?" she said pointing to the book in Iaf's arms.

"Oh…this is the final volume of Tsubasa, as soon as I get home I'm going to read it" Iaf replied hugging the book.

Alyx laughed "I guess that mean's that I'm going to hear about Tsubasa all day tomorrow right?" Iaf smiled "you know it" she said before she started eating an apple.

After lunch Alyx gave Iaf a present "here open it" she said handing the little box over "what is it?" Iaf asked unwrapping it.

"I found it at this wired store" Alyx said remembering where she got it from "the guy at the counter said it was really special, but I think he was just being silly" Iaf looked at her present it was a necklace that had a tiny metal one of Sakura's feathers on it, Iaf's face lit up "Oh thank you!" she said giving her friend a bear hug.

"No problem" Alyx said "I was a bit surprised to find it though because you know every merchandise of Tsubasa ever made and you have never mentioned this" she said pointing to the necklace.

"Hey your right I have never heard of a necklace with a Sakura feather on it" Iaf said scratching her head.

"Well let's go home" Alyx said standing up and stretching.

"Okay, sure" Iaf replied, putting the necklace in her bag.

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In front of Iaf's house Alyx stopped and turned around "I'll see you at school tomorrow kay" she said waving as Iaf turned towards her house, she waved back over her shoulder before she entered the house. Once inside Iaf went straight to her room, grabbed all her Tsubasa books, her mobile phone, a first aid kit and with still room for more and put them in the bag with the leftover lunch, after that she got changed into a long sleeved long dress that reached her ankles.

She decided to read her books in the tree house out in her favorite woods far away from her brother, she was about to go out the door when she remembered her necklace she just got off Alyx, turning around she grabbed the necklace and looked closely at it, it seemed to glow.

Iaf placed it around her neck and all of a sudden a light pink light erupted from the necklace and Iaf was surrounded by darkness.

"Where am I?" Iaf said looking around but seeing nothing, a voice floated out from the darkness and Iaf listened to the word that came,

"_There are worlds full of criminals, worlds of lairs, worlds locked in constant wars…and you must live through them all."_

"I've heard that before!" Iaf yelled at the familiar words she's read over and over again, "that's what Yuuko-san says to the group before they leave on their journey…so why am I hearing that?" Iaf said thinking she must have hit her head, not noticing it started raining.

She listened to Yuuko's voice to see where it was coming from.

"_It will be a journey in which you won't know where you are nor how close you are to collecting all the fractured pieces of memory._

_That said are you still determined to see it through?"_

A new voice spoke up_ "yes!" 'That must be Syaoran' _Iaf thought "the voices are coming from below, argh! It's raining!" she yelled pulling her bag over her head.

The voice of Yuuko grew louder "_Sincerity and determination…no matter what a person wants to attempt, those are needed. And it seems that you are well provided with both, and so…you may go!" _

All of a sudden the darkness surrounding Iaf disappeared and Iaf found herself falling through the night sky, "Aaah!" she screamed covering her face with her arms, _I'm going to die, oh no hel- _Iaf stopped falling.

She removed her hand from her face to find herself staring into a pair of confused blue eyes belonging to Fai, her favorite character out of Tsubasa who happened to catch her before she hit the ground.

_Fai!? Now I know I hit my head Fai's not real, but the arms that are holding me sure feel real _she thought slowly slipping into unconsciousness.

She put her hand on Fai's cheek "F-Fai?" she said before fainting, before anyone could do anything Mokona transported them to their first world.

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"So idiot, who is she?" Kurogane asked pointing at Iaf who was still unconscious, Fai shook his head "I don't know her" he said smiling at Kurogane, who grunted "she seems to know you"

"Still…it's a bit strange don't you think she appears right when we're transporting" Fai said shrugging.

Iaf began to toss and turn in her sleep "Maybe we should wake her up Kuro-puu" Fai said taking a few steps towards her as Kurogane growled at him, Iaf suddenly sat up right causing Fai to jump at the sudden movement.

She looked around worriedly "where is my bag?" she asked no one in particular not noticing the other two watching her, Fai spoke up "it's behind you against the wall, don't worry we haven't looked through it" Iaf turned around and grabbed her bag hugging it then she opened it up a little and grabbed out a chocolate bar and ate it.

She turned around to thank the others, "thank y-" she cut herself off seeing who had talked to her "oh my god, it's Fai and Kurogane" she said to herself, Kurogane growled "and who the hell are you?" he asked a bit annoyed that a stranger new his name.

Iaf blinked a bit surprised by the question "oh yer you don't know me do you?" Iaf said while laughing nervously, "my name is Iaf Aros, nice to meet you Fai-san and Kurogane-san" she told them smiling sweetly, Fai sat down beside her "how do you know mine and Kuro-tan's name?" he asked looking her in the eye's. _Shit I can't tell them the truth just yet and Fai's an expert at lying and Kurogane is an expert at spotting lies what am I going to do?_ Iaf was in a state of mental chaos, she came up with a few idea's no.1 "lucky guess" she said grinning, Kurogane gave her a look that said 'you have got to be fucking joking' no.2 "I overheard the end bit of your conversation with Yuuko-sama" Kurogane growled "we said our names at the beginning of the conversation" Iaf laughed nervously again, _this is my last idea I hope it works_ she thought before trying idea no.3 "I was born with a special power that allows me to know almost anything about a person just by hearing their voice" Iaf said more confidently trying to make it sound like the truth, Kurogane didn't know much about magic so he accepted that as the truth and asked a question he had been wondering for a while "what else do you know about me?" Iaf turned to look him in the eye, "I know lots and most you wouldn't want me to say out loud" Kurogane stared at her "enlighten me" he said with a scowl on his face.

Iaf smiled "your name is Kurogane Suwa, your from Japan, you serve Tomoyo-hime which is the person who placed the curse on you and sent you to the witch's place" Iaf explained with a smile, Kurogane was speechless, "Fai do you want to test how much I know?" Iaf asked him turning to look at him, smile still in place.

Fai just shook his head, Iaf saw that he looked like he was off in a faraway place thinking about something.

"Well I wish to borrow Mokona for a minute, where is he?" Iaf asked looking around, Mokona poked his head out of Fai's coat "here I am" he said jumping into Iaf's lap, "well hello Mokona, you don't mind if I call you that, do you?" Iaf asked standing up, Mokona shook its head "nope, Mokona like's Iaf-san so Iaf-san can call Mokona, Mokona" Mokona replied. Iaf gave Mokona a small smile then she turned to Fai and Kurogane "I'm going out into the hall for a sec" she said before walking out of the room.

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Kurogane sat there staring at the door Iaf just walked out of "that's some power she's got, could you do that, mage?" he asked Fai, Fai shook his head "sorry Kuro-puu but I can't" _and neither can she, she's lieing _Fai thought to himself.

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Out in the hall Iaf asked Mokona to contact Yuuko for her, when the projection came up on the wall Iaf curtsied "it's nice to meet you face to face Yuuko-sama, I'm sorry for dropping in unexpectedly" Iaf apologized, Yuuko smiled "so you're the one who dropped in on us earlier, are you?"

"Yes I am my name is Iaf Aros and in the world I come you guys are all book characters, I don't know how I got here and I don't know how to get back" Iaf explained to Yuuko who listened, "so in other words you're stuck?" Yuuko asked her, Iaf nodded "yes Yuuko-sama, don't take this the wrong way but I'm not going to ask you for help because I know how you work and my price is something I would never give up, I want to use my knowledge to help defeat Fei Wang Reed and help the real Syaoran, sorry for wasting your time Yuuko-sama but I think the others are probably wondering what I'm doing so goodbye for now Yuuko-sama" Iaf said walking back into the room holding the sleeping Mokona in her arms.

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When Iaf walked in the room Fai walked up to her and grabbed her arm "you lied, you don't have any special power I would be able to feel it if you did, tell me the truth" he whispered to her, Iaf became angry with him thinking he could do whatever he wanted, "who are you to talk about telling the truth your whole life has been a lie ever since your brother died and you tell me to tell the truth, take you own advise and start telling the truth" Iaf snapped in a hushed tone, yanking her arm out of his grip.

Fai's eye's widened in shock and pain at what Iaf had said and he let his mask fall, Iaf realized what she had just said to Fai and looked up to apologize, when she saw the look on his face her heart broke in two, she saw all the pain and sadness in his face before he looked away "I'm sorry then" he said before leaving the room.

Iaf stared at the door for a while before walking over to her bag, she saw Kurogane looking at her "I'm going to go to sleep" she said putting on the best smile she could manage, Kurogane grunted showing that he heard her and looked away.

Iaf curled up next to her bag and silently cried herself to sleep.

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Fai came back about ten minutes after Iaf had got to sleep, he looked at her curled up form and sat down against the wall opposite her, Mokona bounced onto his lap and looked up at him "Why is Fai-san in pain?" he asked causing Fai to look at him, "What makes you think I'm in pain Mokona?" Fai said smiling a fake smile, "Mokona can feel what's in peoples hearts and right now Fai-san is in pain over something Iaf-chan said, right?" Mokona said jumping up to his shoulder, Fai nodded slowly.

Mokona told Fai not to be to angry with Iaf "Iaf-chan is feeling just as much pain as Fai-san right now and it's breaking her heart" Mokona whispered to Fai, Fai's eye's widened a bit in surprise.

Fai got up and walked over to Iaf to find her asleep and dried tears on her cheeks, he put his coat over her for the room was cold, when he placed it over her Iaf had subconsciously grabbed it and pulled it around her tighter.

Mokona jumped off of Fai and bounced over to Syaoran's still sleeping form and rubbed a face washer against his forehead, Fai smiled and walked over to them

"He doesn't grab Mokona!" Mokona started crying, Fai picked Mokona up "Oh it looks like he's up" he said seeing Syaoran looking at them, then Syaoran sat upright quickly "Sakura!" he shouted to find the girl was still in his arms.

Iaf stirred at Syaoran's outburst but didn't wake.

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Iaf was floating in darkness again "where am I?" she asked herself _will you be my master?_ A voice came in Iaf's head "w-who are you? Where are you?" Iaf called out to the voice, a purple orb appeared out of nowhere and hovered in front of Iaf before transforming into a girl about her own age, she had long white hair with light blue highlights that reached her knee's, she wore a black dress that reached her ankles and was barefoot _I'm here and I'm a kudan. _The girl said without moving her mouth, "A kudan?" Iaf asked her.

_A kudan is your spirit, your protector and fighter, they can be used to help you do things and protect you against enemies. Will you become my master and allow me to protect you with my life?_ Iaf laughed "I hope it won't come to that but yes you can be my Kudan" The girl's face lit up "by the way what's you name?" Iaf added.

The girl looked at her feet _I don't have one_ she said a bit embarrassed.

"Oh then I'll call you Alyx is that okay?" Iaf asked, Alyx nodded.

"From now on you're my friend okay?" Iaf said smiling, Alyx nodded again _yes master _Iaf laughed "don't call me master, just call me Iaf" she said still smiling.

_Yes Iaf_

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Iaf awoke with a start causing everyone to jump, "I'm sorry I scared you" she said rubbing her eyes.

Kurogane snorted "I wasn't scared"

Iaf smiled and looked down to see her blanket was Fai's coat, she looked at him to see him teasing Kurogane saying he was scared.

Iaf stood up holding his coat in her arm's tightly "miss we're about to go to sleep for the night would you follow me to your room" a black haired woman said to her, Iaf nodded and grabbed her back pack "yes of course Arashi-san" she said bowing a little,

"Wow I can't believe I missed the whole speech on the Hanshin Republic" she added to herself but Kurogane overheard "how did you know we were talking about that?" he growled at her, Iaf mentally slapped herself realizing she just threw her cover up story out the window.

"W-well y-you see I-I mean th-"

"I'm tired Kuro-pii" Fai cut in causing Kurogane to whip around and growl at him for the interruption and the nickname.

"Fai-san's right it's late let's get some sleep" Iaf said hoping it would make Kurogane drop the interrogation.

"This way" Sorata said leaving the room with Kurogane while Fai grabbed his jacket off Iaf without saying a word, then followed them with Iaf and Arashi behind him.

"This will be your room, miss…"

"Iaf"

"Miss Iaf" Arashi said opening the door that was next to her, Iaf looked inside to find a neat little room with a desk and a futon.

"good night guys" Iaf said to Fai and Kurogane who were being let into their room next door, Kurogane grunted and Fai looked at her for a few seconds before walking in the room, "thank you Arashi-san and goodnight" Iaf said bowing before walking into her room and closing the door.

Once inside Iaf went over to her window and opened the curtains to find a big tree outside her window, after a few minutes Iaf decided to go get some fresh air and time to herself, so she opened her window and swung out onto the closest branch.

After nearly falling out of the tree three time's Iaf had reached the bottom branch then looked at her window at the sound of a door closing.

She quickly jumped to the ground and ran off around the house without looking back up.

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Fai knocked on Iaf's door quietly, "Iaf-san?" he said, and when he heard no response he opened the door to find the room empty.

_Maybe I have the wrong room…_

Fai thought looking around the room, spotting Iaf's back pack he confirmed it was her room so he went in and closed the door.

He walked over to the open window and looked at the tree, hearing a noise at the bottom of the tree Fai saw Iaf run off around the house.

"Hmm…"

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Iaf was a few blocks away from the apartments walking through a park thinking to herself, _maybe I should ask Yuuko-san for help, I'll ask her for the power to travel though dimensions and I'll collect feathers and everything without the others and when I meet them next I'll give them the feathers I have then go to another dimension, anything's better then seeing the pain in Fai's eye's everyday and avoiding Kurogane's questions _Iaf planned out what she would do sitting on one of the park benches, she was about to go back when two men sat down on either side of her.

What's a pretty lady like you doing here?" the one on her left said, "its something you can't do, its called thinking now go away" Iaf said standing up, the man on the right blocked her way "but we just want to talk isn't that right Steven?" the one named Steven laughed "yer that's all" he said also standing up.

Iaf smiled when a purple orb appeared behind the man blocking her way "really?" she said leaning against the bench "well I'm sorry but maybe another time" Iaf said and took off when Alyx hit the guy in front of her with a stick.

"Joey you idiot, how could a girl sneak up on you?" Seven shouted and ran after the girls with Joey hot at his heels, they were halfway through the park when Joey grabbed Alyx's wrist, "Aaah!" Alyx screamed when Joey grabbed her causing Iaf to stop and turn around, as soon as Iaf stopped and turned around Steven grabbed her too.

"Help!!" Iaf screamed kicking with all her might, "keep screaming and I'll cut your friend here" Joey shouted pulling a knife out of his pocket and putting it to Alyx's arm.

"No! Let her go!" Iaf yelled without realizing it, Joey cut Alyx's arm causing Alyx to scream.

Iaf screamed to for when Joey cut Alyx's arm the same cut appeared on her arm, after Joey cut Alyx's arm Alyx transformed back into a purple orb and floated into Iaf's body, Joey stood there shocked "you idiot that was her Kudan!" Iaf took this chance to scream again "Help me!!" Steve slammed his hand onto Iaf's mouth, muffling her screams, Iaf started crying and bit Steven's hand "ow! You bitch!" he turned her around and punched her in the cheek causing her to fall onto the ground, she quickly got up and ran for it but Steven grabbed her dress causing it to rip, Iaf half spun around and kicked him in the stomach, and then ran straight into Joey who grabbed her wrist's and put them behind her back "Please let me go" Iaf begged tears streaming down her face.

Steven got up and raised his hand to hit her again, Iaf closed her eye's bracing herself but the hit never came.

Iaf opened her eye's to see Fai standing in front of her with his usual fake smile on his face, "Fai!?" Iaf shouted happy to see him and a bit confused, then remembering Steven Iaf turned her head to see him against a tree unconscious, Iaf felt something cold touch her throat and went pale "come any further and I'll cut her throat" Joey said taking a few steps back, Fai raised his hands in defeat and Joey smiled, Iaf took this chance and elbowed him in the gut making him fall backwards, the knife scratching the side of her throat as she stumbled forward to Fai who grabbed her arms to steady her before she fell over.

Fai helped Iaf sit down against a tree and then walked over to Joey and knocked him out.

"Fai…what are you doing here?" Iaf asked panting, holding the wound to her arm.

"I followed you from your room" Fai answered squatting down to her eye level and putting a hand over her neck wound.

"But ho-" Iaf was cut off when she fell forward panting heavily due to lack of blood,

Fai gasped and held her steady before she hit the ground "Iaf!" he said gently shaking her, he picked her up in his arms and ran off to the apartments.

Iaf rested her head on his chest slowly slipping into unconsciousness, "Fai…I'm sorry" she whispered.

Fai stopped running, "for what?" he asked as it started raining, "for what…I said …about your bro…brother, I'm so…sorry, please for…forgive…me" Iaf said weakly before she fell unconscious.

Fai smiled sadly "I forgive you and the funny thing is you were right when you said that" he said then started running again.

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As soon as Fai got through the front door he called out for help "Arashi-san! Sorata-san! I need help!" after a few seconds Arashi and Sorata came into the room Fai and Iaf were in. "What happened? No tell me after you put her down" Sorata asked as Arashi went to grab the first aid kit, some fresh clothes and some towels.

Fai went straight up to Iaf's room and laid her on the futon before sitting down on the floor, Sorata sat down next to him as Fai told him what he'd seen.

"Probably some of the local thugs" Sorata said when he was finished, Arashi came in and handed Fai a towel before walking over to Iaf and cleaning her cut on her neck, when Arashi was bandaging Iaf's neck Sorata looked at Fai to see him starting to doze off "go to bed Fai she'll be fine" Fai looked up at Sorata's face "okay Sora-chan" he stood up and taking one last look at Iaf walked out of the room.

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The next morning everyone was having breakfast in the dining room while Iaf and Sakura were still asleep, "you should go look around today for the feather because you won't find anything in here" Sorata said getting ready to go to work, "right" Syaoran said finishing his breakfast, Kurogane just grunted and continued eating, Fai mumbled something and looked over at the stairs, Arashi saw this and spoke up "don't worry Fai-san, I'll look after Sakura and Iaf-san today, Iaf-san's injuries weren't fatal but she will probably sleep most of the day" Fai nodded, "what injuries?" Syaoran asked, Kurogane stopped eating but didn't look up.

Fai turned around to face Syaoran "well, last night Iaf-san-"

"Fell out of a tree!" A voice suddenly cut Fai off.

Everyone turned around to see Iaf standing on the stairs trying not to look to injured, "early this morning I got bored and went out to get some fresh air and I decided to climb a tree, about halfway up I stood on the wrong branch and fell out" Iaf lied rubbing the back of her head with a silly smile on her face, Kurogane snorted "you deserved it, what idiot would climb a tree for no reason" Fai was about to say something to him when Iaf cut him off again "your right I'm an idiot but I seem to remember you used to climb tree's when you were young" Iaf said smiling a little, Kurogane turned to face her with shock written all over his face, "well I better get back to bed hope you find the feather" Iaf added, ignoring Kurogane's stares she turned around and walked back upstairs.

Closing the door to her room Iaf sank to the floor with her back against the door "that took to much energy, I shouldn't have gone down there…" Iaf started crawling back to her bed "but they can't worry, they need to concentrate on the feather." She said before falling asleep.

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After lunch Arashi went into Iaf's room to change her bandages over and found Alyx standing next to Iaf who was still asleep, sensing someone else in the room, Alyx turned to face Arashi her face angry and in pain "stay away from my master" Alyx said getting ready to fight, Arashi held her hands out "I'm not here to hurt her, I'm here to change the bandages" she said pointing to the bandages on Iaf's arm and neck.

Alyx looked at the bandages and then back at Arashi "fine" she said before transforming and disappearing into Iaf's body.

Arashi stared at Iaf, "it would seem you have a Kudan, Iaf-san"

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Iaf slowly opened her eyes, she turned her head to see some food on a plate next to her bed.

Slowly sitting up Iaf grabbed the plate and sat it on her lap, looking out the window she saw the sun going down, _the other's must be back by now _she thought while taking a bite.

After she was finished Iaf got up and walked over to the window, _I should ask Yuuko-san for that wish now, but what if- _Iaf's thought's were cut off when a voice came from behind her "I hope your not planning on going out again?" Iaf turned around so fast she had to grab onto the window sill to stop herself from falling over, the voice belonged to Fai who was standing in the doorway with some bandages.

"No I wasn't, I was watching the sunset" Iaf lied turning back to the window, behind her she heard a soft click and calculated that it was the door closing, "Arashi-san asked me to come and change your bandages" Fai said behind her, Iaf turned and nodded sitting on her bed.

Fai gently grabbed her arm and started undoing the bandage already on it that was dirty and bloodstained, Iaf winced when the bandage came unstuck from around her arm and the dried blood on it made it look worse then it felt, Iaf heard Fai gasp and turned to see his eye's on her wound, his face in shock "what? Is this the first time you've seen this?" Iaf asked putting her other hand over her arm covering the wound, Fai nodded "the only time I saw this…" he gestured to Iaf's arm, "was when I found you in the park" he said gently grabbing her arm closer to the cut, Iaf flinched at the sudden touch near her sore.

"I'm sorry I don't remember much of that night, the last thing I remember was you saying you followed me, and by the way how did you know I was gone?" Fai looked away, his hands stopped working on the bandage "I came to your room last night because I wanted to talk to you about what you said about my brother" Iaf felt a wave of guilt rush over her "I'm sorry" she said looking down at her hands "I know" Fai said resuming his work on the bandage, Iaf looked up "what do you mean you know?" she asked a bit confused, Fai smiled "you told me that last night when I was bringing you home" he told her putting the clip on the bandage "you said it right before you passed out" he added picking up the other bandage, Iaf felt heat come into her face and turned away "I can do the other one by myself, you go to sleep it's getting late" she said noticing how dark it was outside.

Fai stood up "goodnight then" he said before walking towards the door "goodnight…and Fai?" Fai stopped his hand on the doorknob "yes?" he said without looking back "thank you" Fai turned around but Iaf was facing away from him so he opened the door and left.

Iaf held back the tears she knew were coming _why? Why does he have to be so nice? I hurt him and he just smiles and even saves me when he could have left me there, I…I need to go otherwise I'll end up hurting him again and the others _Iaf grabbed her back pack and waited a while before she snuck out of her room, she was halfway down the hall when some one called out to her "where do you think your going?" Iaf spun around and came face to face with Kurogane, who was not happy by the way (one of the perks with sharing a room with Fai) "I…I have t-to g-g-go somewhere" Iaf said feeling very small at the moment, "where?" he asked again more forcefully, "away!" Iaf said out load before slapping her hand over her mouth.

Iaf looked at the stubborn idiot in front of her "look I need to leave otherwise bad thing could happen-"

"Bad things? What do you mean?" Kurogane turned and saw Fai and Syaoran standing behind him with confused faces.

"Umm…I have to go" Iaf said and took off down the stairs crying, she was almost out the door when a hand grabbed her bag "let go of my bag!" she shouted swinging her fist around to hit whoever grabbed her, before her fist hit her target it was caught and her bag came undone and one of the books fell out, "what's that?" Syaoran asked as Iaf pulled her arm out of Kurogane's grasp and grabbed the book holding it tightly to her chest "it's a book, duh" Iaf told them "look you need to understand that I can't stay here or maybe not even in this world! If I stay here your not going to stop asking questions and I'm probably going to let something slip that could change the future" Iaf looked down at her feet, "change the future? You know what happens in the future? Fai asked, Iaf nodded "just the future of this quest, this is why I need to go somewhere else, somewhere where I can't be a bother to you, but I told Yuuko-san that I wouldn't ask for her help" Iaf started glowing pink at her chest.

"Your not!" Fai shouted, Syaoran nodded "Fai –san's right" he agreed.

Iaf smiled the glow in her chest growing brighter "Mekyô!" Mokona said pointing to Iaf "Iaf has a feather?" Syaoran asked Mokona who nodded "it is a very faint, but it's definitely a feather"

"But I don't have a feather" Iaf said "the feather in this world is inside a kudan" everyone looked at Iaf "you mean you knew where the feather was this whole time" Kurogane growled as Iaf put her hand over her mouth her eye's full of shock "see this is what I mean, I will let something slip and it could change the future, I mean you found this out a little while ago, right?" Iaf said to herself, she shook her head and looked at the others again "I have to go now" she said as her feet started fading away "Iaf!" Fai yelled taking a step forward, "I'm fine, but Syaoran, Mokona will be able to sense the feather when the Kudan is at its strongest point, but don't just go looking for strong kudan because strength doesn't always mean power" Iaf told them half her body almost gone "but why leave?" Fai asked. "Because I don't want to hurt you!" she yelled tears falling down her cheeks, "I don't want to hurt any of you, I'm sorry…goodbye" was the last thing she said before disappearing all together.

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	2. Chapter 2

Iaf landed in the middle of a building or at least what was left of a building "this place is completely ruined" Iaf said looking around and finding crumbled buildings everywhere.

_Why does this place look so familiar? _Iaf wondered as she walked through the streets looking at the city that was now a place of ruin.

Clouds started rumbling and Iaf looked up "looks like its about to rain" she said "I better find a place to stay until it stops" she looked around and spotted a big building "why isn't that building like the others?" Iaf wondered as she walked towards it.

Suddenly Iaf stopped "no I-it can't be-" Iaf was cut off as it started raining and the rain burned "it is, it's Tokyo" she said as she grabbed her back pack and putting it in front of her leaned over it so it wouldn't get wet and ran towards the big building.

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Fai was staring at the spot Iaf had been a few seconds ago "come on Fai-san she isn't coming back" Syaoran said putting a hand on his shoulder, Mokona jumped from Syaoran's shoulder to Fai's "Iaf-san was very sad to leave but she wanted the best for us" Mokona said hugging Fai's face, "what do you mean Mokona?" Syaoran asked, Kurogane stopped at the stairs listening "Iaf-san loves us all with all her heart and doesn't want to be a burden to us but she had hoped in her heart that we will meet again" Mokona told them, "did you use your special talent again Mokona?" Fai asked rubbing Mokona's head "yep"

"So why does that brat love us so much if we've only known each other for one day?" Kurogane asked turning around to face the group. Mokona jumped onto Fai's head to be a little higher "because in Iaf-san's heart she has known us for years, something to do with that book Mokona thinks" Mokona said.

Kurogane stood that before muttering a quick 'whatever' and going upstairs to sleep before Fai comes up, "let's do what Iaf-san said and concentrate on the feather" Syaoran said before going upstairs himself.

Fai slowly walked towards the stairs, at the bottom step he turned and looked at the spot where Iaf was "Iaf…why?"

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Iaf got under cover and sat down "man that was close" she said panting heavily, looking down at herself Iaf looked like a boy, she had her hair tucked under her shirt so it looked like she had short hair and the shorts she borrowed of Arashi-san were all dirty along with the rest of her and the parts of her skin that weren't dirty were red from the rain.

"Great now I look like a boy" she mumbled to herself, "of all the worlds I could have ended up in why did it have to be this one!" she yelled to herself.

Suddenly an arrow landed right next to her out of nowhere. "Aaah! I'm going to be shot!" Iaf yelled as she grabbed her bag and dived behind a rock.

"Who are you?" A voice asked from a distance,

"That guy needs to grow a backbone" a different voice came making Iaf angry

"Yer he's a scaredy cat" a girl's voice added to Iaf's anger, "who are you calling a scaredy cat!" Iaf yelled before turning around the rock she was hiding behind to come face to face with the leader of the knights… "Kamui" Iaf said before slamming her hand over her mouth and mentally kick herself.

"How do you know my name? Who are you?" Kamui asked staring at her with an emotionless face.

"My name is Iaf Aros and I know your name because I have a special gift" Iaf said hoping it would trick him, one of the other knights spoke up "I don't sense any magic from you" _Shit shit SHIT! _Kamui turned to face the knight "are you sure?" he asked the other knight who was quiet for a few seconds then shook his head "there is the tiniest amount of magic at a point in her chest but not enough to do anything with" he explained.

Kamui turned back around to find Iaf almost out of sight, in the rain "What?!" he said bewildered before running after her.

Iaf ran as soon as he turned his back, _I probably won't get far _she thought as she got out into the rain, _if I can find a way to transport I can get out of here without letting anything slip_ she thought, she jumped under a demolished building and began to think how she had transported last time, "oh no! I don't know how I transported to another world" she panicked.

"So you're from another world?" A voice said scaring her out of her wits, turning around she found that the voice belonged to Kamui who had followed her, "your slower then I thought vampire's were" she said, a small smile playing at her lips at the look on Kamui's face, "a vampire?" he asked acting like he didn't know what she was talking about.

"Yes a vampire, the thing you and Subaru ar-" Iaf fainted falling to the ground, Kamui stuck an arm out and caught her before she hit the ground.

Kamui picked her up "you know about Subaru and me, I wonder…what else do you know?" he said to himself then began to run back to the building with her in his arms.

Once back Kamui sat Iaf down on the bed in one of the rooms, "why did you bring her back?" the knight who said she had magic asked, Kamui turned and walked out of the room, closing the door he said "because I have to find out something, Kakyou" then walked down the hall, Kakyou looked at the door that now held Iaf behind it "there is something different about her" he said before walking the same way as Kamui.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Iaf awoke in a little pain, slowly she slipped out of bed and over to her bag which was against the end of her bed, rummaging through the side pocket she brought out some pain killers from the first aid kit "oh man I need water with these, dammit!" she said "umm…here" Iaf looked up to see Kakyou standing behind her holding a glass of water "t-thank you" Iaf stammered taking the glass and drowning some of the water in it with the tablets, the pain started to go down to a numb feeling, Iaf stood up and sat on her bed "why am I here?" she asked Kakyou, "Kamui said he wanted to find out what you know" he said going back to his seat "oh no that's the whole reason I ran if he finds out what I know the future will change" Iaf said panicking.

Kakyou sat there listening to her rambling until a low grumbling came, Iaf grabbed her stomach "I'm hungry" she said with a bit of a embarrassed grin on her face "we're low on food right now" Kakyou told her as she opened her bag "that's okay, see" she said holding up an apple and a chocolate bar "here" she said and threw the chocolate bar to him, Kakyou caught it "where did you get these from?" he asked opening the rapper "I had lunch with my friend a few days ago and these are the leftovers" she told him biting into the apple "you don't come from this world do you?" He asked her taking a bite of the bar, Iaf froze thinking if she should tell the truth "no I don't, all this food I have is from another world" she said looking down.

Kakyou finished the bar "well I better tell Kamui your up" he said walking out of the room, about two minutes later Iaf ran to the door and checked the hallway to see if anyone was coming before taking off down the hall, when she reached a big curtain she stopped _this is where all the other people are, what if one of the knight are in here?" _she thought to herself before taking the chance and going through.

On the other side kids were playing and people were talking, thankfully there were no knight here, she walked through unseen and when she got on the other side of the next curtain she took off again, down on the ground floor it had stopped raining and she was about to go out when a arrow wised past her back cutting the material of her bag "stop where you are" A girls voice commanded, Iaf recognized it as Satsuki's voice for she was the only girl knight there, stopping Iaf quickly took her bag off her back and took out on of the books that now had a nice long scratch on the back cover, Iaf's aura started becoming murderous "I think you made her mad" a kid's voice floated from behind her "so what can she do?" Satsuki said, Iaf whipped around her eye's blazing "YOU FUCKING BITCH!! YOU SRCATCHED ONE OF MY BOOKS I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!!" Iaf screamed her chest glowing, causing the knights there to jump.

"Just try!" Satsuki yelled back holding up her crossbow, Iaf started walking towards her and Satsuki fired one of her arrows sailing towards Iaf the arrow bounced back about a meter away like it hit a wall "what the…?" Satsuki said firing more arrows and every one bounced back "Now you're going to die!" Iaf said about two meters away, fire flaming around her fist.

Suddenly a pair of arms wrapped around Iaf's stomach stopping her, "her magic is now off the scale be careful" Iaf heard Kakyou say, turning her head she saw it was Kamui who grabbed her "Let go of me now Kamui!" she said forcefully "I have to kill her for what she did to my book" Iaf started struggling "no" Kamui said holding on tight, Iaf struggled harder trying to pry his hand off her. "Let go!" Iaf screamed whacking his arms, the fire leaving small burns on his arms, because of all her struggling her hair came out of her shirt and fall down her front when she leaned forward "you're a girl!?" the knights that were up with Satsuki shouted "Kamui please let me go, I won't kill her" Iaf said now holding back tears, the fire around her fist extinguished "her magic has gone back down to its tiniest form again" Kakyou told Kamui.

Kamui lat Iaf go and she ran over to her bag, grabbing her book she cried and took off only getting a few meters before Kamui had grabbed her arm holding her in place, Iaf turned around tears still in her eye's "Kamui I can't tell you how I know what I know because I can change the future and as much as a want to I'm not aloud" she told him though her tears and gasped breaths "but I will tell you something's after you tell me how long you've been here in Tokyo" Kamui looked at her his face still emotionless "two years" he answered letting go of her arm.

Iaf thought for a moment "so Subaru has been asleep for two years meaning…" Iaf thought for a few more seconds ignoring Kamui's shocked face "he will wake up in about a year, and don't worry Seishiro won't come to this world when he's asleep" Iaf said sitting down on a rock.

"How do you know all this?" Kamui asked her, Iaf shook her head "I told you I can't tell you" she said standing up and turning around about to walk away when Kamui grabbed her arm "you can't go it's about to rain again" he said as the clouds rumbled, Iaf nodded "I can stay undercover at broken buildings and if that breaks I'll just rub to another undercover area" she told him not looking at him.

Kamui shook his head "that's dangerous" Iaf looked at him "well what else can I do I'm certainly not going to the tower and I'll just be in the way around you guys so wha-" Iaf stopped then ran off towards a broken building "move!" she yelled back at Kamui who was surprised by her running off, Kamui ran after her just in time as a bloodworm broke the ground "how did you know that was coming?" Kamui asked from next to Iaf "I felt it" Iaf replied "hmm…" Kamui thought "well if you help us with catching food you won't be in the way how about that?" Kamui asked, "but I don't know how to fight or anything" Iaf said "we'll teach you" Iaf smiled reluctantly "okay I suppose, lets get back before it rains" and took off towards her now home.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

The next day training begun.

Iaf was training with Yuuto and Nataku, they started with teaching her how to use a crossbow, "cool" Iaf said when she got given a crossbow "so I just pull this little lever here?" she said pulling the release lever "wait!" Yuuto yelled as the arrow shot out of the bow "DUCK!" Nataku yelled as the arrow flew through the air towards Satsuki who had just came from the room next door, the arrow missed her by a few inches and wedged itself into the door she had opened only seconds before.

"Wow! Perfect" the little kid knight shouted from his perch, Iaf grinned evilly "what do you mean? I missed" Iaf said grinning evilly, she laughed at the looks on everyone's faces as they all looked at her in shock and horror "Iaf don't tease them" A voice came from behind her, Iaf turned around to see Kamui.

"What ever do you mean?" she asked with a sweet smile, Kamui turned around and told her to follow him, Iaf grumbled and handed the bow to Yuuto who was still in shock.

Kamui lead Iaf to a small room "what can you tell me about your travels?" Iaf was surprised by the question "travels?" she asked, Kamui nodded "you mentioned that hunter, how do you know him and that he won't come?" Kamui explained, Iaf looked down "the same way I know about you and Subaru…which means I can't tell you much I'm sorry" Kamui gave a look of annoyance before turning and walking out, Iaf fell to her knees "why? Why won't I tell him what he needs to know? Why does he make me feel like I've betrayed him? Why does that idiot want to know things that would change the future?" Iaf broke into tears, not noticing someone standing against the wall on the other side of the door.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Over the next two months Iaf had become one of the best archers around and had improved greatly on her hand to hand combat because she was able to persuade Kamui into teaching her, she hardly ever talked to Kamui except when he would ask her for more information or be teaching her how to fight, Iaf asked Kamui to also teach her to fight the way vampires do, Kamui was reluctant but after Iaf's obsessive begging, he gave in, to Iaf's delight. But t didn't help their neutral-hate relationship.

One day on one of the food hunting trips Iaf and the others stopped at a bridge like usual to wait for a bloodworm to appear.

"Maybe we should go somewhere else" Yuuto suggested after around ten minutes of nothing, Kamui shook his head "no, we will stay here"

"Stubborn bastered" Iaf mumbled to herself earning a glare from Kamui who was the only one who heard her "what?" Iaf said innocently before walking to the edge of the ruined bridge and sitting down letting her legs hang over the edge.

"I'm bored" Yuuto complained five minutes later "so what" Satsuki said "we need food so we'll stay here for as long as we must"

"I'm not staying here forever" Iaf growled to herself in a low voice, when no one was looking Iaf took out a dagger and cut the palm of one of her hands and let her blood flow down onto the ground the bridge was standing on "come on smell it you worms" she whispered squeezing her hand.

All of a sudden a hand came out of nowhere to grab hers, Iaf cried out in pain and surprise when the unknown hand clamped around her injured one, being pulled to her feet Iaf found out that it was Kamui who had her wrist _Shit I forgot vampires can smell blood too… how the fuck could I forget that?_ She thought as she looked into Kamui's eyes which were turning golden "What the hell are you doing?!" he yelled at her holding up her hand "getting the bloodworms attention, what does it look like?!" Iaf yelled back with the same amount of anger, Kamui was a bit surprised by her outburst because no one had ever yelled back at him before, getting over it he turned his attention back to Iaf who was dimly glowing at her chest "you didn't have to hurt yourself to do it!" he started yelling again "you mean you actually care?!" Iaf shouted ignoring the other two knights watching them "of course!" Kamui yelled his nails growing a bit and scratching Iaf's wrist "oh how could I forget the only reason I'm here is because you want the information I got, nothing can happen to me or you lose you info" Iaf said her voice going down a few levels, tears started falling down her cheeks "why do you do this to me?" she said the tears not letting up "you're a jerk!" catching him off guard Iaf punched Kamui in the stomach with her good arm, which made him let go of Iaf's wrist in shock.

As soon as Kamui let go of her wrist Iaf ran to her hover bike and took off still crying, not caring which direction, just wanting to get away from Kamui.

Back at the bridge Kamui was about to go after her when two bloodworms appeared causing him to stop "I think you upset her!" Satsuki shouted at Kamui while fighting off one of the bloodworms, Kamui scowled at her jumping out of the way when the second bloodworm attacked him "hey Kamui we need to stop her she's going towards the-wow!" Yuuto was cut off by just missing an attack from one of the bloodworms, Kamui looked in the direction that Iaf went _Oh crap_ Kamui thought realizing what she was heading towards "she's going towards the Tower!" Yuuto yelled.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Iaf stopped her hover bike and got off it still crying she put her thumb over the cut on her hand "why did he have to act like that? Damn you Kamui, I try and help and you go and yell at me. Can't you be nice to me at last once" Iaf said in between sobs "where am I anyway?" Iaf looked around and saw the Tower around ten meters in front of her "when did that get there?" she asked herself sniffling "wait a minute…that's the Tower! Oh no what am I going to do? I'll be shot if I'm found here…I know I'll go back, no I can't do that either because Kamui would probably lock me in my room for day" Iaf rambled sitting on her bike, a few seconds later she jumped at the sound of something moving "wh-what was t-that?" Iaf said shrinking back "okay I'm really scared now maybe if I'm lucky and go back now Kamui might let me off…oh no I punched him in the stomach and yelled my lungs out at him when I ran off, no way would he let me off he would kill me even if I know lots of things he wants" Iaf was to busy panicking (and crying) to notice that the people from the Tower had come out from hiding.

Someone cleared their throat to catch Iaf's attention, upon hearing the noise Iaf froze and turned around to find herself face to face with the Tower's leader Fuuma.

"Aaah!" Iaf screamed and dived behind a rock "they are more alike then they would like to think" Iaf said to herself "who are?" a voice asked from beside her, Iaf scrambled away from Fuuma who had walked up to the rock she was hiding behind and was now leaning on it, his face with a bit of amusement in it.

Iaf got up and ran to her bike looking for her crossbow only to remember… "Aaah I left it on the bridge!"

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Kamui finished off the fifth bloodworm that had come at him "let's get these back" he said turning to Yuuto and Satsuki who were exhausted, "you have to admit, Iaf-san may have hurt herself but in doing so see got us enough food for two months" Yuuto said looking at all the blood worms "I guess your right" Kamui replied.

"Umm, Kamui about Iaf-san…" Satsuki started.

"She will be fine, after all she's our best archer" Kamui said in a low, angry voice not looking at them, "what about without her crossbow?" Satsuki asked, Kamui shrugged "not as good, I mean she's an okay close combat person but not really good if facing multiple opponents"

"Then she's screwed" she said holding up Iaf's crossbow.

_Shit! What an idiot! Leaving her best weapon behind… though I suppose that its also my fault _Kamui thought "well we can't do much if she's in the Tower territory" he said looking at the Tower on the horizon.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Iaf held her hand's up surrendering "if you want to kill me I suggest you do it now I err… left my crossbow at the bridge" she said turning a slight shade of pink "in other words you're unarmed" Fuuma said.

Iaf shook her head "no I have these" she said pulling out four daggers and a short sword and chucking them on the ground in front of Fuuma "now I'm unarmed" she said holding her hands up again _wait, why the hell did I just unarm myself in front of the enemy? What the hell is wrong with me today? I blame Kamui _She thought, "What should we do, Fuuma?" asked one of the guys behind him, Fuuma thought about this "I'm not here to steal your water either, I got came to this world two month ago and don't know how to leave yet" Iaf said looking at her feet.

"World?" Fuuma questioned, Iaf looked up in shock "I said country" she said quickly, Fuuma smiled "we'll take her back to the Tower I wish to talk to her later" Fuuma told the others "put her in one of the spare rooms on our floor" he added before walking off into the Tower.

Iaf was escorted to her room and when she was inside the room her escorts closed and locked the door, leaving her with nothing to do but wait, after a few minutes Iaf decided to get some sleep, lying down she couldn't help but wonder if Fai and the other's were okay and if Kamui was still mad at her, thinking through all this Iaf fell asleep feeling more alone then ever.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"Hey where's Iaf?" Kakyou asked when Kamui, Yuuto and Satsuki got back, Kamui ignored him and went down to the reservoir.

"Iaf and Kamui had a big fight and Iaf took off, I'm not sure if she knew but she went off in the direction of the Tower" Yuuto told them

"What?!" the knight said together.

"And she's unarmed" Satsuki added showing them Iaf's crossbow.

"Do you think we should look for her?" Kusanagi asked "if Kamui wanted us to look for her he would have said something when he was here" Nataku replied.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Iaf was woken up by this world's Arashi.

"Fuuma wish's to see you now" she told Iaf who yawned.

_Jackass, interrupting my sleep, this basterds lucky I don't knock his lights out _"Okay" Iaf got up and followed Arashi to a sort of meeting room where Fuuma was, walking in Arashi closed the door behind Iaf and Iaf went and sat down in one of the chairs on the opposite side of the table "you wanted to see me?" she asked him.

"Yes I wanted to know a few things" Fuuma answered.

Iaf narrowed her eyes "like what?" she asked, Fuuma smiled "like what world you came from" he answered, Iaf was shocked by this question "what do you mean?" she asked.

"You come from another world don't you?" he replied still grinning.

_I hate that grin so much _she thought before answering "yes I come from another world and like I told that jerk I can't tell you much or how I know some thing about you" Iaf crossed her arms and leaned back "jerk?" Iaf sighed "Kamui" she answered, "hmm…so what can you tell me?" he asked grinning wider _I swear he's loving this_ she thought trying to resist the urge to slap him, "let's make a deal I will tell you all I know about one topic if you help me with something" Fuuma leaned against the table with interest, "and what might that be?" he asked.

"Help me sneak into the Tokyo Government office building _without_ Kamui or any of the knights knowing" Iaf said without hesitation.

"But why would you want to sneak in there?" Fuuma asked a bit surprised at what she said, "because I left something special there and if Kamui or anyone else looks in it they could change the future" Iaf explained, Fuuma thought over it a bit "it would be hard to get in there without Kamui noticing" he said after a while, "I know that vampire notice's more then I want him to" Fuuma looked up from his train of thought "vampire? You know about that?" he asked looking at the now thinking girl, who he must admit looked a little cute the way she was trying to think.

Iaf nodded without looking up "that's just one of the many things I know" she said "I think if you battle him I might have a chance" she said looking at him to see what he thought of the idea, Fuuma nodded slowly "I think that would work" Iaf leaned forward, "so we have a deal?" she asked him.

"Yes we have a deal" Fuuma answered causing Iaf to smile sweetly at him "now I better take you back to your room, now your allowed to walk around the place but I suggest you wear this instead of your red cape" he told her throwing one of the Tower's jacket's at her "fine I will wear this but I'll wear my 'red cape' under it" she said before putting it on, over her knights cloak "well shall I lead you to your room?" he asked with that smug grin on his face "whatever" she replied waiting for him to lead the way.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Two days later they set off for the Tokyo building.

A few yards away Fuuma dropped off Iaf "now I know you can match Kamui but be careful" Iaf said to Fuuma not looking at him.

"You too" he replied before taking off with the others on his tail, Iaf ran towards the building taking off her Tower coat and her knights coat.

She slipped in through one of the cracks she had found a few weeks ago, before she went upstairs she took one quick glance at the others to see Kamui attack Fuuma who was grinning _I swear he loves that grin_ She thought and ran upstairs to find her bag.

When she walked through the curtain where everyone was staying a few heads turned and Iaf looked down so they wouldn't recognize her, holding the coats folded to her chest she quickly walked through the room and pushed past the other curtain.

On her way up the stairs Iaf scratched her leg on one of the broken rails, ignoring the blood coming out she rushed up to her room, when she got there she looked around and spotted her bag where she left it, running over to it she opened it and found nothing had been moved in it, she put the coat's in it and grabbed a chocolate bar to eat.

When she had finished the bar she bandaged up her leg using one of the bandages she had in her first aid kit, with her leg bandaged up she stood up and walked forward to the window, she looked down to the ground to see Fuuma and the others still there which meant the knight's were still there, letting out a small sigh Iaf turned to leave and what she saw shocked her so much she dropped her bag with a thump.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

(As Iaf was entering the building)

Kamui stood with the other knights as Fuuma's group arrived "Ah Kamui just the person I wanted to see" Fuuma said getting off his bike "what do you want?" Kamui asked narrowing his eye's "nothing much, I just want to battle" Fuuma said with his smug grin on, "no thanks, go away" Kamui said, sweat dropping before turning around "oh come on…please" Fuuma asked acting like a child.

_This guy is pushing it _Kamui thought before turning back around to face him "n-"

"I can understand if you're scared of losing" Fuuma said cutting him off.

All the knight's gasped while the tower people snickered and looked at Kamui who had his head down so they couldn't see his face "you think…" Kamui started, clenching his fist.

"Hmm?"

"You think I'm scared of you?!" Kamui yelled attacking Fuuma, Fuuma grinned wider knowing that the plan was working.

A few minutes later Kamui was about to hit Fuuma when he suddenly stopped, (much to Fuuma's surprise) his eyes turned a golden color "blood, but whose…?" Kamui said quietly that only Fuuma heard him "Iaf?" Kamui said before taking off into the building, leaving a shocked Fuuma behind.

"Wait!" Fuuma shouted and tried to go after him only to be stopped by the knight's, _Iaf get out of there_ He thought a bit worried.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"K-Kamui" Iaf said her eye's wide with shock "y-your supposed t-to be fighting Fuuma" she said taking a few steps back when he entered the room "I was before I smelled fresh blood" he said his eye's flickering towards the bandage on her leg "what do you mean I'm supposed to be fighting that guy" he asked walking towards Iaf who was now against the window " I-I asked hi-him for a favor and in return for distracting you while I was getting my bag I would give him something in return" she said tears now in her eye's "what do you have to give him?" Kamui asked now right in front of Iaf who was shacking all over "I-I will give him all the information I know on one topic" Iaf said looking away from him "so you easily give him information but not me" he growled eye's flashing golden "I WOULD HAVE DIED!" Iaf yelled at him tears streaming down her cheeks "I would have died, you heal easy, you can't die as easy as I can and I knew what would get on his good side so I used it, can you really blame me?" Iaf said sinking to her knees.

Kamui looked at the crying girl at his feet "if you want to kill me do it now" Iaf told him without looking up "I don't want to kill you" Kamui said squatting down in front of her.

Iaf looked up for a second then looked down again "what you going to lock me up until I tell you something?" Iaf asked, Kamui lifted her chin with his hand "I'm just glad you're safe and sound" he said giving her a true smile.

"B-but I hurt you a-and I-I can't even tell you what you want to know" Iaf said leaning towards Kamui with sad eyes.

"I know you want to tell me and I don't care about you _trying _to hurt me and that punch didn't hurt" he said lightly hugging her, Iaf was shocked when this happened then started silently crying feeling like her heart was being torn apart "what do you mean you know?" Kamui grinned slightly "the day I called you in from your first day of training" Iaf nodded "well after I left I heard you saying something so I stayed behind the wall and listened" Iaf blushed "oh umm…" she started while trying to avoid his eyes "I-I have to go back to the Tower" Iaf said, "why?" he asked pulling away from Iaf "because I stick to my word and he's the reason I'm still alive" Iaf said standing up, Kamui stood up "but you can't go" he told her letting go of her, "I will be back, I promise" she said walking towards the door picking up her bag on the way.

Kamui grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards him "Kam-" Iaf was cut off when Kamui brushed his lips against hers "be careful please" he said before letting her go.

Iaf turned away blushing "you too" she said walking out with Kamui at her heels.

When they got down to the lower levels they were just in time to see one of the knights shoot an arrow at Fuuma "NOOOOO!!!" Iaf screamed closing her eyes, her chest glowing.

Iaf opened her eyes to find that time had slowed right down, the arrow was going slower so Iaf ran and stood in front of Fuuma facing him right before time sped up again, the arrow hit Iaf in the shoulder causing her to fall forwards into Fuuma "Iaf!" Fuuma and Kamui shouted in shock.

The knights stood there in shock at her sudden appearance as Kamui ran up to Iaf and Fuuma in worry "just in time huh?" Iaf said to Fuuma "you idiot you didn't have to do that" he said to her "I agree" Kamui said "Kamui remember what I said" Kamui nodded and turned to the knights "go inside" he growled, no one complained.

"I…I will…be back, Kamui" Iaf said before fainting, "Iaf" he said then looked up at Fuuma "you batter take care of her or else the next time we fight you won't be walking away from it" he told Fuuma before walking back inside.

Fuuma looked at Kamui's back then at Iaf who was unconscious in his arms.

"What happened up there?" he said before getting on his bike and taking off with Iaf (and her bag) to the Tower.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Iaf opened her eyes weakly "where am I?" she was in a bed with her shoulder bandaged up, A voice spoke up "your at the Tower" Iaf sat up to see Fuuma sitting in a chair at the end of her bed "what happened?" she asked holding her shoulder "you took an arrow for me remember?" Fuuma said with a sad smile "oh I did? Are you okay?" Fuuma grinned "I'm fine you're the one that got shot with the arrow, remember?" Iaf cocked her head to its side in confusion "no I don't" Fuuma's grin faded "you don't remember?" he asked looking at her.

Iaf shook her head "no, the last thing I remember is screaming no after seeing the arrow shooting at you" Iaf said scratching her head in confusion, her eye's widened a bit "it happened again didn't it?" she asked looking down, "again?" Fuuma questioned while getting her a drink "yes this has happened once before, I had fainted and Fai, the person who saved me had told me I apologized for what I said on the way back home but I don't remember" Iaf explained taking the drink Fuuma offered her "I'm sure it's not your fault, in any case you will have to stay here until your shoulder gets better" Iaf nodded "right, now what do you want to know about?" Iaf asked looking at her drink "nothing" Iaf looked up at Fuuma to see him with that grin on again "what do you mean?" she asked "I don't want to know anything"

"But that was my part of the deal if I didn't tell you anything it would be unfair" Iaf complained "yes but saving my life can be your part" Iaf looked down "but I didn't know that was going to happen" she told him "all my knowledge of people, worlds are all based on the quest to find Sakura-hime's feathers" she explained "feather's?" Fuuma questioned.

Iaf looked up from her drink "yes like the one this tower has and the Tokyo building has"

"You know about that?" he asked, she nodded "yes I do, its something that comes up later in the quest" Fuuma nodded showing he understood "ow" Iaf winced at the pain that shot through her shoulder.

She fell forward hitting her head on the bed "Iaf! Be careful your wound isn't healed yet" Fuuma told her jumping up "you don't need to worry" Iaf said putting on a goofy grin, Fuuma smiled softly "get some sleep, you need it" he told her walking to the door, at the door he turned beck to see Iaf looking at him "thank you" he said before leaving.

Iaf lied down and fell asleep.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"Umm…Kamui?" The knight's were having a meeting later that night and Kamui wasn't paying attention.

"What?" Kamui asked, Nataku spoke up "why did Iaf protect Fuuma?"

"Where did she come from?" Satsuki added

Kamui turned to them "that is none of your concern Nataku, and Satsuki she came from upstairs" he answered feeling a bit annoyed that they would ask him these questions, "but what happened to her when she ran off?"  
"Did she belong to the Tower?"

"Was she really one of us?"

"She got in without us knowing maybe she will tell them how to"

Kamui slammed his fist onto the table silencing them "enough! I will kill the next person to talk bad about Iaf got that!?" he growled, they all nodded in surprise and fear for Kamui has never got that mad before.

"Iaf never belonged to the Tower, she is still one of us and she would never betray us" He added before storming out the door and down to the reservoir.

"Wow anyone else think he got a little to mad about that?" Yuuto asked, everyone nodded "I think he likes her" said Kakyou, the others looked at him "well after she got shot he cried out to her in worry for her, remember? And then just now he defended her" the other knights thought over this "I think your right, Kakyou" said Kusanagi, the others agreed.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^


	3. Chapter 3

Iaf woke up again during the night, after deciding she wasn't going to get anymore sleep she put on her knights cloak and then chucked on her Tower coat the best she could with one hand and walked out of her room, once out in the hall she closed her door and quietly walked past the other doors in the hall, everyone else was asleep so instead of going down the stairs Iaf decided to go up.

After five to six flights of stairs Iaf reached a old tin door _I wonder where this leads _she wondered before opening it to find herself on a landing, a cool breeze was blowing and the night sky was clear of clouds so the stars and the moon shone brightly "wow, amazing" she walked over to the railing and looked down, seeing how high she was she took a few steps back "note to self: don't look down" she said to herself.

Iaf looked up to the sky and the wind blew her hair around making it look like she had black streamer flying around her, she started humming to a song she loved after a few seconds she stared singing the song

_Now we've come so far from the darkness_

_And we'll never be apart_

_So we leave for tomorrow_

_To start our lives again _

_Find me there my tiny feathers_

_Of my holy ancient days_

_I will calm all your sadness_

_And sing my song for you_

_Find me there my tiny feathers_

_Of my holy ancient days_

_I will calm all your sadness_

_And sing my song…only for you_

"Do you always sing like that?" a voice came from behind her, Iaf didn't bother to turn around for she knew who it was "so you heard that then?" Fuuma leaned against the railing next to her "you shouldn't answer a question with a question" he said putting on his smug grin, Iaf sighed "no I don't always sing like that and you shouldn't have been listening" she said "you didn't jump like you usually do when I appear behind you" he said turning around and leaning his back against the railing "well between you and Kamui both doing it I kind of got used to it, so…how did you know where I was? Shouldn't you be asleep?" Iaf asked looking at him, "we had a meeting so none of us were asleep yet…then all of a sudden we _all_ heard someone singing, so I came up to investigate" he told her, smirking when he saw red come across her face "you all heard?" she asked "yep, you have a good voice" he said trying to stop her embarrassment "ha no I don't my voice sucks" she said with a bit of a scowl on her face "no it's good everyone thought so" he complimented "we mustn't be hearing the same thing then" she said turning to walk away but Fuuma grabbed her wrist "do you mean to tell me that no one has ever told you that you have a good voice?" he asked not letting go of her wrist, Iaf looked down "once"

_Flashback_

"_Hey Iaf sing for me" Alyx asked one day while they were sitting under Iaf's favorite Sakura tree, Iaf looked at her best friend in shock "but I'm crap as" she complained "so sing I won't laugh" Alyx encouraged "but-" Alyx cut her off "no buts missy you can't possibly be worse then I am" Iaf sighed "you promise you won't laugh?" Alyx nodded "cross my heart" Iaf smiled nervously "okay"_

_**I will not die**_

_**I will wait here for you, yer**_

_**I fell alive**_

_**When you're right here beside me**_

_**I will not die**_

_**I will wait here for you, yer**_

_**In my time of dying**_

_**I feel you light**_

_**It's shining down on me**_

_**Like heaven itself**_

_**But I don't see you **_

_**You're not in my sight**_

_**I'm leaving this world **_

_**But I feel your love**_

_**You will come**_

_**You promised you would**_

_**I will wait **_

_**For I love you so**_

_**I'm dying here**_

_**But you'll come for me**_

_**You always said **_

_**I'll be with you till the end**_

_Alyx was speechless "see I told you I was bad" Alyx shook her head "that was amazing, what song is that?" Iaf looked at her "I don't know about a third of it is from another song, the rest I just made up…you really think it's good?" Iaf said looking at her feet._

"_Yer of course that was brilliant, you have the voice of an angel" Alyx said smiling "then you weren't hearing my voice" Iaf said with emotionless eyes. _

"Why did you say that?" Fuuma asked "because…" Iaf said turning away from him "because why?" he asked still holding on to her wrist "look I have never discussed my voice with anyone, so why the hell would I talk about it with you?" she growled not looking at him and his stupid smirk, Fuuma pulled her around and grabbed her other wrist to stop her from turning around again "why not?" Iaf closed her eyes "let go" she said quietly "huh?" Iaf started shaking "let go of me" she said a bit louder "Iaf I do-"

"LET GO!" she yelled, yanking her wrist free she ran all the way back to her room, once behind her closed door she started crying "why? Why does everyone want to hear me sing" she walked over to her bed and was asleep five minutes later.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"Where is this?" Iaf said looking around, she was in a hospital "mommy! Mommy!" a voice called out behind her and Iaf turned to find herself running towards her "wait this is me when I was young" Iaf said as the little Iaf ran right though Iaf like she was a ghost and turned into a room beside her.

Iaf followed herself as she walked up to a woman sitting in one of the hospital beds, she had long black hair and emerald eyes and had a smile on her face "mum" Iaf said feeling like she was going to cry again "mommy, mommy how are you?" little Iaf asked "I'm feeling just fine where is your farther" little Iaf looked down "at home, I came by myself" Iaf's mum looked at her daughter in shock "why did you come alone?" she asked "daddy hate's me, he only loves big brother he always hates me, he yells at me and tells me that I should stop singing the songs that mommy taught me" Iaf's mum looked a bit surprised by this "now honey I'm sure daddy is just worried about mommy that's all, how about you sing me a song?"

"Yay!" little Iaf cheered

"No don't sing!" Iaf yelled but no one could hear her, little Iaf stood up and did a twirl "I'll sing the new song I leant" she said giggling.

"No! No singing you'll kill her!" Iaf shouted trying to grab herself.

"I heard this song on one of my favorite shows, the girl who sing it is pretty but not as pretty as mommy"

"Are going to sing or not?" Iaf's mum asked in a playful tone.

"Sing of course"

_In this quiet night_

_I am waiting for you_

_Forgetting the past_

_And dreaming of you_

_Time passes by_

_And memories fade _

_But time can't erase _

_The love that we made_

_And the starts in the sky _

_That I wish upon_

_Can bring you back to my side _

_Though your not here with me_

_I dream of the day_

_We'll meet again_

_Hold me close so deep in your heart_

_I will find you_

_No matter where I have to go _

_And dream of me for I will be there_

_Follow the stars that lead _

_Into the La quiet night_

"Tada!" little Iaf said after she was finished, little Iaf looked up to see her mum leaning over her bed panting heavily "mommy?" little Iaf asked walking over to her "Iaf, honey run and get someone in a white coat please hurry" Little Iaf nodded and ran out to get a doctor, a minute later Iaf came with a doctor "mommy in trouble see?" she said to the doctor the doctor walked over to Iaf's mum who was now coughing blood "it seems you have suddenly got some virus or something, I don't know what it is, I'm sorry" little Iaf tugged on the doctors coat "is mommy going to get better?" the doctor looked down at little Iaf then at her mum "where is your husband?"

"she said she came here by herself and that he's at home" she said before coughing up more blood, "I'll go and call him then" the doctor said before leaving.

Ten minutes later a man came in with a boy about Iaf's age "Iaf what are you doing here?" he growled at little Iaf before going over to his wife "wait outside both of you" the kids went out into the waiting room and Iaf sat there crying.

The scene in front of here suddenly changed to her house "daddy what happened to mommy?" Little Iaf asked her dad "she's gone your songs killed her" he growled at little Iaf "but mommy wanted me to sing, so I sung a song for her" her dad hit her "your songs are cursed, you never sing again, you killed her you killed your own mum!" he yelled at the girl lying on the floor crying "you the devil" he said before walking out of the room.

Iaf sat there screaming "I killed her! I my songs killed her! She died because of me!" Iaf felt something on her arm but didn't see anything "everyone dies after they hear my songs! Everyone dies!"

"…ke…up"

"No no no no no no!" Iaf yelled

"Iaf wake up" a distant voice called out, Iaf looked around "huh"

"Iaf wake up!" Iaf opened her eyes to see Fuuma holding her arms down, everything in her room was floating, she was back in the tower and she was in her bed with Fuuma sitting next to her "Fuuma?" she said and everything crashed to the floor "what was that?" a voice called from the doorway and Iaf turned her head to see all the Tower group standing in her doorway, some looking at the stuff now all around the room and the rest looking at Iaf.

"Iaf what happened?" Fuuma asked letting go of Iaf's arms "I-I killed her" she said hugging her knees, Fuuma turned to the others "go get some rest" he told them and they went away leaving Fuuma, Iaf and Arashi "Arashi?" Fuuma questioned, Arashi spoke up "she was giving out tons of magical power just then, it's the same magical power I felt a few months ago" she said pointing to Iaf.

Fuuma nodded "okay thank you Arashi" he said before dismissing her "Iaf what happened?" Iaf looked up at Fuuma with fear in her eyes, fear and an immense amount of sadness "my singing killed my mother" she said putting her head down on her knees.

"How?" Fuuma asked "I don't know all I know is my mother got really sick after I sung to her and she died that day" Iaf told him "why are you here anyway?" she asked wanting to change the topic "well…at that meeting I told you about everyone decided that while you were here you are my responsibility, so I had to come and do some thing when you started suddenly screaming" Iaf looked up at him "oh"

"Is this why you hardly ever sing?" Fuuma asked her, Iaf nodded not wanting to say anything more "I'm going to go to sleep again sorry for waking you up" she said lying down.

Fuuma stood up "that's okay" he walked out of the room and Iaf fell into a dreamless sleep.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

The next morning Kakyou went to find Kamui to talk to him "Kamui there is something I wish to talk to you about" Kakyou said to Kamui who was doing nothing, "about what?" he replied "well last night I felt the same power in magic Iaf had when she was angry with Satsuki about her book" Kakyou explained, Kamui stood up "Iaf's magic?" Kakyou nodded "but it was only for about an hour last night then it disappeared again" he told Kamui who was going towards the reservoir.

_Iaf you better be okay…_

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Iaf woke up the next day about midday, getting up she saw a black long sleeved top and black short sitting on the end of her bed (like the ones Sakura wear when she's in Tokyo) "I guess that those are my new clothes" she said grabbing them.

After Iaf grabbed her new clothes she grabbed her knights cloak and Tower coat and went into the bathroom that was connected to her room, she had a shower and stayed there for a while thinking over her dream last night.

After her shower Iaf slipped into her new clothes and moved her shoulder to see if any pain came from moving it, when moving her shoulder she felt a small sharp pain but decided to ignore it and chucked on her cloak and coat "now to find some thing to do" she said tying up her wet hair into a ponytail.

Iaf walked around exploring for a little while until she came across the Tower group training, walking towards them Iaf called out "umm…excuse me!" everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at her "I'm sorry about last night" she said fiddling with her fingers "that's okay Iaf" Fuuma said walking towards her, the others nodded before going back to what they were doing.

Iaf watched them for a little while and started getting bored when one of the girls came over "hi, my name's Nekoi, your Iaf, right?" Nekoi asked, Iaf nodded recognizing her from another world, Nekoi sat down next to her "can I ask why you saved Fuuma even though your one of the knights?" she asked, Iaf looked at her "oh, that. I've only been a knight for two months and I don't really know the reason why your two groups fight, but I recon its stupid" Iaf said not noticing everyone had topped what they were doing and were listening. "I just can't believe that in this time of need where we need to help people both groups just fight instead of help each other, now I know each group has their own stubborn idiotic leader but why fight in the first place?" she asked looking at Nekoi who looked back at her in shock before smiling "your absolutely right" she said jumping up "especially about the leader part" she whispered in Iaf's ear before they both laughed "hey do you want to spar?" Nekoi asked, Iaf jumped up "absolutely!" she shouted and got into a fighting stance, Nekoi was about to do the same thing when she looked at the others and saw everyone watching them "uh, Iaf? I think they heard everything" she said pointing to the others "what?!" Iaf said and looked around to see everyone looking at her and Nekoi "what you got nothing better to do?" she growled "hey I'm just watching my people, it comes with being a stubborn idiotic leader" Fuuma said sarcastically as everyone went back to training "hey at least we agree on something" Iaf said, ignoring the sarcasm in his voice, Fuuma frowned and went off to train.

"Now we can fight, just so you know I won't go easy on you the fighting style Kamui taught me won't allow light fighting" Iaf warned "you got taught by Kamui? Cool" Nekoi said as she got into her fighting style.

They were just about to start when Sorata came over "Nekoi its your shift for lookout" he said "aww, crap" Nekoi said "it looks like we won't be able to have our match now, but I'll call you up on it later" she added before running out of the training area, Iaf sat down bored again, she turned her attention over to Fuuma who was battling one of the others, Fuuma gave him a good punch to the gut and he was down, a idea popped into Iaf's head when Fuuma asked "does anyone else want to battle me?" seeing as how everyone knew that if they battled Fuuma they would get there butt kicked, no one volunteered.

Fuuma turned around about to leave when Iaf spoke up "can I fight you?" everyone turned to look at Iaf in disbelief, Fuuma just looked surprised "Iaf your wound-"

"It's fine, see" she said rotating her shoulder while ignoring the pain coming from it, "you don't need to make up excuses just cause your afraid you'll lose" she teased

"Well…I suppose, sure why not" He said ignoring the last comment and walked towards the battling area, Iaf took off her coat and cloak and went over to where Fuuma was standing, "just 'cause you're a girl doesn't mean I'm going to go easy on you" he told her getting into his fighting stance, "good, just let me remind you that if you don't return me in good condition Kamui's going to kill you" Iaf said smirking "yer yer I know, you ready?" Iaf took up her stance "yep" Fuuma nodded at one of the group who shouted "begin"

Iaf took the first move as she ran towards him with great speed and aimed a sideways kick at him which he dodged by jumping and then attacking.

Iaf blocked most of his attacks but she got kicked in the arms she was using to block the rest of the hits with, when Fuuma kicked Iaf she back flipped and landed on a nearby rock "not bad…for a hunter" she said to him and chuckled when she saw his eyes widen in surprise, taking that chance Iaf pushed off the rock and spun around aiming for his chest, Fuuma blocked it at the last second and Iaf's foot hit his arms, Iaf then pushed off his arms and landed on her feet "not bad at all" she said "but enough warm ups now" she ran at him at an even grater speed then before and punched him in the stomach, Fuuma was a bit surprised by the change but then he grabbed her arm and threw her away, Iaf slid across the ground on her feet before falling to one knee, panting at the pain in her shoulder, Fuuma noticed this and let down his guard "Ia-" he was cut off when Iaf suddenly took this chance and lunged at him pinning him to the ground with her on top "you shouldn't let down you guard, you know" she said holding his wrist's down on either side of his head.

Fuuma smirked_ oh fuck _Iaf thought before Fuuma flipped his wrist's and grabbed her's, he then flipped them around so he was on top, when Iaf's shoulder hit the ground she let out a cry of pain "Iaf?" Fuuma said knowing he hadn't hurt her to bad "what?" she asked know over the sudden burst of pain that came, "your very good at masking pain you know that" Fuuma said not moving "I seem to remember a few seconds ago our positions were reversed so don't start now" Iaf warned, Fuuma grinned and leaned in towards her "that may be so but right now I'm the one who has you pinned down" he whispered in her ear "and I won't let you up until you tell me the truth" he added his grin getting wider, leaning back but not letting go Fuuma called out to the others "training's over, go do something for a while I have to have a chat with Iaf here" the others nodded and left "Now where were we?" he asked Iaf who was now giving him an evil look "I don't know who's worse, you or your brother?" she said trying to yank her arms free "you know about my brother?" Iaf gave up on trying to get her arms free (for now) and nodded "yes I know him but never seen him, but I'm not telling you anything else" Fuuma shook his head "I don't care about that"

"Then let me go" Iaf said looking away from him as best she could "no, not until you tell me the truth" Iaf looked back at him "truth?"

"about your shoulder" he answered "oh that" Iaf said looking away again "I lied my shoulder is not fine, every time I move it I get this small sharp pain through it, happy?" she asked "yes" Fuuma said releasing her wrist's but not moving "uh I kinda need you to get off me so I can move" Iaf said after a few seconds "from now on, tell me the truth" he said ignoring her last sentence "fine" she said crossing her arm the best she could, Fuuma grinned at the sight and got up "you can go back tomorrow" he said turning around.

"Wha-?" Iaf started but was cut off "I don't want to get rid of you but Kamui was worried about you and I don't want to keep you here for to long or else he might storm the place and I don't want my people to get hurt or…" he started rambling as Iaf got up, smirking Iaf walked over and gave him a kiss on the cheek "thank you for all your help" she said before going upstairs, leaving behind a stunned Fuuma.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Later that night Iaf slept soundly with no worries, she often woke up in the middle of the night because she was too hot or too cold but she never really cared.

The next morning Iaf walked out of her room in her Tower coat but as soon as she got out side she put it in her bag and kept on her Knights cloak, she sat down on one of the rocks close to the building so if anyone looked out their window they wouldn't see her, she had to wait for about fifteen minutes before Fuuma and the others came out "good morning" she cheered happily scaring them for they didn't know she was there, "well we're ready to go how about you?" Fuuma asked Iaf "packed and ready" she said holding up her bag "good, some of us are staying here and the rest are going to Kamui's place" Fuuma explained as everyone started moving round, some going back inside and some grabbing their bikes.

In the end Fuuma, Arashi, Nekoi, Sorata and another Iaf couldn't remember the name of traveled to the Tokyo building with Iaf, "heads up, Fuuma I can sense bloodworms around here" Iaf told Fuuma who nodded "I can barely sense them but I know they are around" he told her while weaving around tall parts of building that stuck out of the ground.

"Look out!" Iaf yelled and pulled hard on the handlebars, "what the?" Fuuma said as the bike suddenly jerked to the left a few seconds before a bloodworm broke through the ground where they just were "I thought I said be careful" Iaf said snickering "but…I was" Fuuma complained, "I don't know how you survived these last three years without me here" Iaf and Fuuma argued the whole way back.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"Kamui the people of the Tower are coming" Satsuki told Kamui who got up from what he was doing and went out front, as the people of the Tower pulled up he heard Fuuma arguing with someone.

"It came out of nowhere" Fuuma said stopping his bike, Iaf jumped off "what a poor excuse, I'm surprised you can sense a wall in front of you" she argued back, "hey who won in our fight huh?" Fuuma said grinning "you did but I had you pinned down and that doesn't excuse the fact that you nearly got us killed or badly hurt" Iaf said turning around to face Kamui and the knights who were staring "Kamui!" Iaf said walking over to him signaling that the argument is over "Iaf how are you?" Kamui asked, "I'm fine" Iaf lied "Iaf" Fuuma said making Iaf turn around "remember what I said yesterday" "Iaf grinned "before or after you wouldn't let me up?" Fuuma ignored that last question "don't lie" Iaf huffed "fine" she turned back to Kamui "my shoulder is still sore" Iaf confessed "but…" Iaf went through her bag "I have pain killers" she said holding up her pain killer in one hand and a book in the other.

Iaf's chest started glowing "Iaf?" Kamui asked pointing to her chest, Iaf looked down "oh no I'm moving on to the next world" Iaf said holding her book to her chest to hide the glow "moving on?" Kamui questioned "yes to a new dimension" Iaf said her feet starting to slowly disappear "don't worry about me I will come back, I have to" Iaf said to Kamui before turning around to Fuuma, she walked up to him and whispered in his ear "thank you for listening last night and don't tell anyone what I told you not even in new dimensions and please look after Kamui for me, you don't have to be nice to him just watch out for him" with that she gave him a kiss on the cheek and walked over to Kamui on invisible feet, when she got to Kamui she smiled "I have to tell you this…there will be a group of travelers that will arrive here later this year, I don't know if I'll be with them or not but they are the reason I'm here to begin with I have to protect them, anyway take these" Iaf handed Kamui the pain killers "save them for when the travelers come cause your going to need them, and Kamui…" Iaf kissed him on the lips "thank you for everything" lights started swirling around Iaf "but I never got to have my match with you" Nekoi complained "yes but I'll come back and anyway, friends forever" Iaf replied, Nekoi grinned "hell yer, you said it" Nekoi said and the girls high fived before Iaf disappeared.

Fuuma snickered "Kamui is blushing" he said before dodging a few punches from Kamui.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Iaf materialized a few meters off the ground "Ahhh!" she squealed as she fell, landing on something softer then ground, Iaf started getting dizzy.

Something moved under Iaf and she looked down to see she had landed on a boy, jumping up Iaf grabbed the boys arm "I'm so sorry" she apologized while helping him up "where did you come from?" he asked rubbing his back "I came from another country and I'm looking for something of extreme importance" Iaf said looking around to see where she was, a way off to her left was a huge castle surrounded by a large town "wait a minute this is Koryo" Iaf said walking to the edge of the cliff she was on, "careful" the boy said to her, Iaf turned around with a smile, on close inspection of the boy he had blonde hair and was dressed funny (to Iaf's standards) "I will, wait your from the Amenosa aren't you?"

"Huh how did you know that?" he asked, Iaf's smile grew "I never answer those type of questions" she said to him waving her finger side to side like scolding a naughty child "fine" he said turning away.

Iaf put her bag down and started to sit down when the dizzy feeling came back worse then before and she collapsed in a heap on the ground unconscious, the blonde boy heard a sound and turned to find Iaf unconscious near the edge of the cliff "oh no!" he shouted and ran over to her and dragged her away from the edge.

He picked up her bag and opened it to find the Tower coat on top so he grabbed it and placed it over her, after he closed up the bag he walked over to the edge of the cliff "we have to take this barrier down"

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Iaf woke up to the smell of something cooking "what smells good?" she asked still half out of it, "finally awake are we?" a voice came from beside her and Iaf turned her head to see the blonde boy sitting around a campfire with two other's who Iaf assumed were his traveling companions "how long was I out for?" Iaf asked yawning "the whole day" the blond boy replied as Iaf sat up and felt something slip off her, looking down she saw her Tower coat in her lap "my Tower coat? Oh no has someone been in my bag?" She panicked looking at the boys "I did but I touched nothing but that jacket" the blonde boy said standing up, Iaf sighed "thank the lord" she whispered and folded up her coat before putting it back in the bag "we saved you some food" a black haired boy spoke up from around the fire, Iaf smiled one of her sweet smiles "thank you but I'm not hungry" she said before her stomach let out a low rumble _Traitor! _She screamed mentally at her stomach "maybe just a little bit" she said walking over to them and sitting down next to the black haired boy.

Iaf took the plate that was offered to her and started eating "What's your name?" she heard one of the boys ask and looked up from her plate to see them all looking at her, finishing what was in her mouth she cleared her throat "Iaf Aros" she said giving them a smile "well Iaf where did you come from?"

Iaf laughed nervously _why everyone wants to know that I don't know _Iaf thought "another country I'm looking for something important that I think is in that city" Iaf said pointing to the place where the feather is "well you won't be able to get in there, there is some kind of barrier up" the aqua haired boy spoke up for the first time "what?!" Iaf said standing up "yer it's been up for a while now" Iaf looked at the castle "that means that they are here" she said to herself "who is?" the blonde beside her asked "oh…no one, now you know my name but I don't know yours that's a bit unfair don't you think?" she asked sitting back down.

"oh we didn't introduce ourselves did we?" Iaf shook her head "well I'm Nokoru Imonoyama" the blonde said standing up and giving a little bow, next was the aqua haired boy "I'm Suoh Takamura, nice to meet you" Suoh said before going back to his food "and I am Akira Ijyuin" the black haired boy said holding out his hand which Iaf shook "nice to meet you all" Iaf said giving a smile "umm…I wish to tell you guys something that will stay between us is that okay?" Iaf asked as she started fidgeting with her fingers, the boys looked at each other before looking at Iaf and nodding their heads. Iaf took a deep breath "I have a special gift with some magic, how I don't know but I do and if my information is correct this barrier will be broken tomorrow" Iaf told them not meeting their gaze "how do you know this?" Akira asked "I can't answer that" Iaf said "but had somehow used my magic to teleport here, that's how I had umm…landed on you" she said blushing at Nokoru who had also blushed a slight pink "I better go to sleep, see you tomorrow" Iaf said standing up "wait a sec…" Iaf turned to look at Suoh who was going through a bag off to the left of the fire "here" he said holding out some clothes "umm…" Iaf was confused.

"These are some clothes from this country you would fit in better if you wore them" he said putting the clothes in her hands "thank you very much" Iaf thanked him giving her best smile, Suoh mumbled some thing then walked over to the fire. Iaf walked over to her backpack and put her knights cloak in it which she still had on "I'll be back in a minute" Iaf said before walking off into a small patch of trees just off to the right of their camp still holding the clothes.

Iaf came back around ten minutes later in her new clothes "wow" Nokoru said when he saw her "what? They aren't on wrong are they? They look bad don't they? I'm such an idiot" Iaf started rambling, Nokoru shook his head "no everything's fine I just didn't expect it to look good on you" he said cutting off Iaf's rambling, Iaf gave him a look "so you expected me to look bad?" she said a bit annoyed "oh no, not at all" he said shaking his head, Iaf grinned "I was just kidding" she said laughing "I'm going to bed now good night"

"Good night" the other three said together before Iaf lay down next to her bag, pulled out her Tower coat again and laid it over her to sleep.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Iaf found herself in a castle surrounded by blue and white cloths over the walls "Miss Afina" Iaf turned in time to see someone run straight through her "what the?" Iaf said and followed the girl "where am I?"

The girl stopped in front of a room and knocked, a voice floated out from the room "yes what is it?"

"Miss Afina, everyone is waiting" the girl said, the door opened to reveal a woman with long brown hair and amethyst colored eyes "I'm coming" Afina said leaving the room with the girl following her.

Afina went to this large ballroom where lots of people were "welcome everyone" she called out to the people on the room "I hope you enjoy your stay"

Everyone clapped "wow, it seems…boring" Iaf said looking around, Afina went over to a stage "I will now sing the opening song" she said into a mic.

Everyone looked at her, Afina cleared her throat and started singing

_I am calling, calling now_

_Spirits rise and falling _

_Silence is for better _

_Falling, falling _

_In the depths of longing _

_Silence is for better_

"I know that song!" Iaf cried out as the room suddenly bloomed with snow and flowers "Wow!" she said staring at the snow in awe "Yuui…"

Iaf stood there in sorrow until Afina came up beside her "oh" Iaf said looking up "I'm sorry" she said standing aside for Afina, "oh yer no one can see me"

"I can" Iaf stared at Afina who smiled at her "you can see me?" she asked, Afina nodded "but how?" Iaf was really confused "because, my future" Afina said "do not doubt your songs, they have more power then you can imagine"

Iaf shook her head "all my songs do is harm people" she said looking down at her feet "that's because you believe they will, your songs are tied to your heart" Iaf looked up "huh?"

"Wake up, Iaf" Afina said and placed a hand on Iaf's forehead.

Iaf shot up and looked around to find she was back in camp with the others who were asleep "was that a dream?"

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^


	4. Chapter 4

The next day Iaf and the Amenosa packed up camp and headed towards the barrier.

"We're here" Akira called out after a while, everyone stopped "but I don't see anything" Iaf said walking up to Akira "really? I see it" Nokoru said, Suoh nodded.

"Hmm…maybe it's because I'm not from this country" Iaf said walking forward with her hands out in front of her in case it's just invisible "aaahhhhhh!" Iaf screamed as a sudden electrifying shock struck her chest and she was thrown backwards into a tree, "Iaf!" the Amenosa yelled as they ran to her "wh-what happened?" she asked gasping for air "I don't know" Nokoru said

"But you got halfway through" Suoh added "huh?" Iaf questioned as she tried to sit up, "yer your arms and legs went through but when it got to your chest the barrier took affect" Akira explained

"Oh look!" Iaf said pointing to the barrier, the others looked "what's happening?"

The barrier had cracks all over it then it shattered into a million pieces "yay it's gone!" Iaf said smiling "let's go" Nokoru said walking forward, Iaf and the others nodded.

Iaf tried to get up (key word tried) "ow!" she shouted falling back down "what's wrong?" Akira asked "I think my ankle is twisted" Iaf told them rubbing her ankle, they looked at each other "I'll carry you" Akira said walking towards her "oh no I couldn't burden you like that" she said in a panicked voice, Akira laughed "you funny doing that, look it's no burden I want to help" he said crouching down in front of her "here can you hop onto my back?" he asked, Iaf nodded "I think so" she lifted herself up without using her ankle then hopped onto Akira's back "thank you" Iaf said as he stood up "no prob, now here Suoh hold the bag" he said holding out Iaf's bag "when did you grab that?" Iaf asked Akira who grinned "when I stood up" he told her as Suoh took the bag and put it on his back "now off to the city" Nokoru said running towards the castle with the others close behind.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"We finally made it" Nokoru said once they were in town, Iaf looked around Akira's head but couldn't see past Nokoru's head.

"Who are you?" a voice came form in front of Nokoru asked _that must be Chunyan _Iaf thought _Did the Amenosa get here before or after the group left? _Iaf wondered, Souh put Iaf's bag down "geez, what do you have in this bag bricks? Its as heavy as about 10 of them" Souh complained to Iaf as Akira let go with one of his hand to wipe his forehead, Iaf was about to retort when Akira brought his hand down again, accidentally hitting Iaf's ankle "OWW!!!" Iaf screamed which caused everyone to jump and Akira to drop Iaf "ouch, that hurt!" Iaf said rubbing her bum "oh I'm sorry are you okay?" Akira asked helping Iaf up "my ankle still hurts and now my bum does too" she said trying to ignore the pain in her ankle.

"Iaf?"

Iaf looked up to see Fai, Kurogane, Syaoran and Sakura looking at her in disbelief and surprise _it was before _"umm…"

Kurogane turned and said to Fai "didn't the witch say something about different people looking the same in different worlds"

Fai nodded "oh yer" he said a hint of sadness in his eyes "but the bag-"

"Iaf-Chan!" Mokona jumped from Syaoran's shoulder over to her "Mokona wait!" Sakura called out to Mokona as he jumped into Iaf's arms "I missed you Iaf-chan" he said cuddling her, Iaf laughed "I missed you too Mokona, I hope you have been looking after the others for me" she said patting him on the head then looking up at the others who were surprised at her reaction "hello Fai-san, Kurogane-san and Syaoran-kun it's been a long time or at least it has for me" Iaf walked towards Sakura, or rather limped towards Sakura and curtsying in front of her "it's a pleasure to meet you Sakura-hime, I'm sorry we couldn't meet in the Hanshin Republic but I had to leave before the others found the feather" She said wincing in pain from her ankle "Iaf you shouldn't be on that ankle" Nokoru said at Iaf who waved her hand "that's okay, I need to get used to the pain because I have to leave soon" Iaf told him smiling.

"NO!"

Iaf and everyone turned to look at the person who shouted which happened to be Fai "you're not leaving us again" he said staring her in the eyes.

"But Fai-" Iaf started but was cut off when Fai shouted "No! No buts, we don't care about the future and we won't ask questions on how you know the future so please, don't leave again" He said looking up at her.

"Fai…" Iaf sighed "I was going to say that I wasn't planning on leaving you again" Iaf chuckled at the look's the group was giving her, Sakura and Syaoran looked confused, Kurogane irritated and Fai…Fai looked happy?! "You mean it?" he asked walking up to her, Iaf nodded "yes, I realized that I couldn't know the future and just stand back and let that happen the way he wants it too" Iaf said curling her hands into fists.

"He?" Syaoran asked as he and Sakura came up behind Fai, Iaf looked Syaoran in the eyes "Fei Wang Reed" she told them "that's all I'm saying" she added before curtsying again "if you'll excuse me I have to talk to Yuuko-san in private again" she straightened out again smiling "umm…ok" Syaoran replied as Iaf walked off.

Around the corner Iaf walked a few blocks away before Mokona brought up the projected image if the witch.

"Yuuko-sama nice to see you again" Iaf said curtsying.

"Ahh Iaf-san I had wondered where you had gone" Yuuko said "I had somehow been transported to another dimension and have been there for two month's my time" Iaf explained "did you get the name of this place?" Yuuko asked, Iaf shook her head "I didn't have to ask, as soon as I got there I knew what world I was in and I met some people you know" Iaf said smirking "and who would they be?" Yuuko asked her face emotionless.

"Kamui and Fuuma, Subaru was still asleep so I didn't meet him" Yuuko's eyes widened by the slightest fraction "you met them did you?" she asked, Iaf nodded "yes I did and Kamui and Fuuma are more alike then they would think, but that's not the reason I called, I called to ask for your permission to join the others again on the journey for the feathers" Iaf said firmly without hesitation.

"There will be a price" Yuuko warned, Iaf sighed "my books?" she asked, Yuuko smiled "maybe not"

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

"That brat is taking forever" Kurogane grumbled, Fai smiled "aw Kuro-tan is worried" He said getting up and dodging a punch from Kurogane "I'm not worried just irritated" he growled "I'll go see what's keeping her then" Fai said walking off in the direction Iaf went, after walking for a few minutes he started hearing voices

"Kamui and Fuuma, Subaru was still asleep so I didn't meet him" Fai recognized that as Iaf's voice _who is Kamui, Fuuma and Subaru? _He thought stopping just around the corner from where Iaf was.

"You met them did you?" came Yuuko's voice "yes I did…" _so Yuuko-san also knows these people then? _Fai wondered "…I called to ask for your permission to join the others again on the journey for the feathers" Fai heard Iaf ask _so that's why she called Yuuko-san _"there will be a price" Yuuko said "my book's" Iaf's voice said with a hint of sadness, "maybe not" Yuuko's voice said _book's? Where have I heard that from?_ Fai suddenly got tapped on the shoulder and he whipped around to see Kurogane looking at him with a scowl on his face "What ar-" Kurogane started but was cut off by Fai putting his hand over his mouth "shh" Fai said quietly as Yuuko spoke up again "is something wrong Iaf-san?"

"I thought I heard something, but I must have imagined it" Iaf said "what do you mean maybe not to my books?" Iaf added.

"Since the last time we spoke you have more important things in your heart" Yuuko explained "but how is that possible my book's are the most important things to me, they are my knowledge of this whole quest…" Fai's eyes widened and he noticed that Kurogane had now stopped trying to remove Fai's hand and was now listening to what the others were saying "…thanks to my books I know everything that is going to happen on this quest, I know what world comes next, where the feathers are in that world, I know when we get to Fai's and Kurogane's worlds and I know about the final battle and-"

"Yes okay" Yuuko said cutting her off "what I'm saying is that without you knowing it you allowed some other things to become just as important as your books" Yuuko explained "like what?" Iaf asked "your memories of the quest"

"Huh?" Iaf asked obviously confused "you said that in your world, everyone is nothing but mere book characters, right?" Yuuko asked "Yes" Iaf replied "well with everything you've done and the places you've been, you have met some of the characters in those books you carry and you have enjoyed your time with them, yes?" Yuuko explained "well yer, because of my unexpected dimension jump out of the Hanshin republic I ended up in Tokyo and was able to meet, Kamui, Fuuma and others who are now my friends, Kamui taught me how to fight and I became the best archer they had, I spent two months there and I have lots of memories, good ones, bad ones and some sad ones but I would say that I value those memories a lot, did you know I got shot with an arrow and found out I can use some magic?" Iaf asked, Fai's eyes widened while he listened "two months?" Kurogane wondered, Fai's hand still over his mouth.

"So yes I guess your right" Iaf said, "Is there something else?" she asked the witch.

"Yes the other thing is your love for Yuui"

Kurogane felt Fai stiffen at this and wondered who this Yuui is.

Iaf gasped, "What?" Yuuko asked "you called him Yuui, yet he doesn't call himself that does he?" Iaf said "no he doesn't but that is his name" Yuuko replied "I know…So what are my options?" Iaf asked.

"To travel with the others to different dimensions you must give up 4 of your books or you give up your memories of the quest which I'll take at the end of the quest and I'll send you home after that or your memories of Yuui" Yuuko told her.

Fai let go of Kurogane's mouth and Kurogane stared at him "how…? Why…?" Fai whispered sitting down against the wall.

It was about five minutes before Iaf spoke up again "I know what I'm going to give up" she said and Fai and Kurogane stopped what they were doing (which was being bored) and listened "My memories of the quest are important as you know and I need them for like I told you last time, I'm going to stop Fei Wang Reed and save Syaoran…"

"Save the kid?" Kurogane whispered and Fai shrugged his shoulders.

"So I'm keeping my memories of the quest, but my memories of Yuui…I don't know, I mean I love him with most my heart but maybe it would be better for both of us if I did forget but not right now, right now I need those memories, so as my payment I'll give you four of my books" Iaf said.

"Iaf…" Fai said

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"So as my payment I'll give you four of my books" Iaf said grabbing her bag off her back (she got it off Suoh before she walked off with Mokona) and grabbing out all her books "which ones?" Iaf asked "I'll just take the first four for now" Yuuko said and Iaf held out the first four volumes of Tsubasa to Mokona who sucked them up "I have received them" Yuuko told Iaf who nodded while putting her other books away "you can now travel with the others across dimensions" Yuuko added "thank you Yuuko-sama oh and Yuuko-sama, can I make another wish?" Iaf asked, Yuuko looked surprised "what is it?" she asked "I would like a bag that can hold Sakura's feathers but no one but Mokona can sense them when they are in it" Iaf asked, everyone listening was shocked by the request "why do you want something like that?" Yuuko asked "well, we never know when I might accidentally travel to another dimension and if I do and know where the feather is in that dimension I want to be able to collect it and not have power crazed psychos after me and I can hand whatever feathers I collect to Sakura when I meet the group again" Iaf explained, Yuuko thought over it for a while "okay fine, but as your payment you can't tell the other about this meeting or what that bag is" Yuuko told her as Mokona spat out a little bag you clip around your waist "okay, Yuuko-sama, thank you, goodbye" Iaf replied as the projection disappeared.

"That witch! She did that on purpose didn't she? She took the books on the Hanshin republic and this world and left me with the books on the future, now I have to be careful not to let anyone see them, damn her!" Iaf growled throwing her bag on her back "but that was unexpected, my love for Yuui had become as important as my books, hmm…" Iaf stood there in thought "I can't let him get hurt, he's been through enough pain and torture already, ok Mokona let's go back the others are probably wondering where I am, oh and don't tell anyone about this conversation please?" Iaf asked Mokona

"Okay Iaf-chan, Mokona won't tell" Mokona said "thank you Mokona" Iaf said hugging the white fluff ball as two shadows around the corner slipped away unnoticed.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"Hey guys, Yuuko-san gave me permission to travel with you" Iaf called out walking towards the group.

"Really?" Sakura asked, Iaf nodded smiling "but wouldn't you have had to pay a price?" Syaoran asked "yes don't worry it's paid" Iaf told him "Then let's go" Kurogane growled not looking at Iaf and Fai nodded avoiding looking into Iaf's eyes.

"Right" Iaf said "uh just a sec" Iaf said reaching into a side pocket of her bag catching the groups attention "here it is" Iaf said holding up a small padlock, Fai looked at it "what is that?" he asked.

"Oh it's a padlock, see look…I just put it on like this," Iaf clipped the padlock onto the two main zippers "and there no one can get in without this key" Iaf said holding up a tiny key "Oh" Fai said looking at the key.

"Now onwards to the next world, see you guys" Iaf said as Mokona grew wings, the Amenosa waved back.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Fai woke up to find the kids still asleep and Kurogane holding Iaf's bag "what are you doing Kuro-puu?" he asked getting up, Kurogane looked up at him as if to say 'you have to ask?'

"But Kuro we know that Iaf-chan will tell us everything when she's ready" Fai said sitting down besides Kurogane "yes but who knows when that would be, that witch just ordered her not to and I want to know a few things now"

Fai narrowed his eyes "like what?" he asked.

"When I get back to my world, you can find out when we get to your world and who the hell this Yuui person is" Fai stiffened at the name again, he was about to say something when another voice spoke up "wh-where are we?" Fai and Kurogane turned to see Iaf waking up "shit" Kurogane cursed quietly behind Fai and placed the bag back where it was before he picked it up.

Iaf opened her eyes and looked around "oh we're at a lake" she said trying to sound surprised but didn't fool the guys.

"How are you Iaf-chan?" Fai asked standing up, Iaf looked up at him in shock "what?" he said confused "oh nothing, it's just you were ignoring me when we left Koryo and now your all happy again, well fake happy anyway" she said looking down, mumbling the last part to herself "oh I'm sorry" Fai said his smiling falling a bit, Iaf looked up in surprise "oh no no no, you don't have to be sorry for anything you didn't do anything to be sorry for" Iaf said shaking her head, just then Iaf's stomach rumbled "oops I should have eaten before we left huh" she said giving a goofy grin, "oh well where's my bag?" Iaf grabbed her bag and unlocked it "now where are they?" she started rummaging through her bag "Iaf-chan do you need help?"

Iaf shook her head "no thanks…Ahh there they are, here catch" she said pulling out three apples and throwing one to Kurogane and one to Fai, they caught the apples and stared at them "come on, you've seen apples like this in the Hanshin republic so what's wrong now?" Iaf asked biting her apple while smiling "how d-" Kurogane started but was cut off, "nothing Iaf-san but we were wondering, where did you get these apples from?" Fai asked with his usual fake smile, Iaf's smile fell which revealed to Fai and Kurogane all of Iaf's pain and sadness as she zoned out of it, Fai looked at Kurogane who shrugged then turned back to Iaf "Iaf-san?...Iaf-san!?" Fai shouted trying to get Iaf's attention and failing miserably.

Kurogane got up and walked towards Iaf "Kuro-pon? What are you…?" Fai asked right before Kurogane knocked his fist against the top of Iaf's head, snapping out of her daze Iaf looked up with a fake smile as bad as Fai's "oh did you say something Kurogane-sama?" she asked.

Kurogane scowled at her "no but don't zone out when someone asks you a question…." He jerked his thumb over his shoulder at Fai who was sitting there in confusion and surprise "and don't call me Sama" he added growling, Iaf nodded her head "yes Kurogane-san" she replied with a true smile, Kurogane nodded "good" he said before going and sitting down where he was before he got up.

"Iaf-san what's wrong?" Fai asked as Kurogane started eating his apple, Iaf looked up at him "I got these apples on the day I left my world, I was having a picnic with my best friend and after I went home I somehow traveled to Yuuko's shop" Iaf said staring at her apple, Fai looked at Kurogane who was still eating his apple "hey Kuro-puu did you ever have picnic's?" he asked "no" Kurogane said as he glared at Fai, Iaf stood up "well I'm going to look around, I'll be back soon" she said as she walked away "Iaf-san I'll come with you" Fai said standing up "that's ok there's no danger here" Iaf replied as she disappeared into the woods that surrounded the lake.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"Yuuko-san who is that girl you were talking to?" Watanuki asked Yuuko as she handed him Iaf's Tsubasa book's "she is the one who can save or destroy this quest, she can save it if she sticks with the group or she can destroy it if Fei Wang Reed gets his hands on her" Yuuko explained, Watanuki stopped what he was doing "Fei Wang Reed?" he asked "someone I will tell you about later" Yuuko told him before he left "I wish you safeness on the journey Iaf-sama, and believe in your songs" Yuuko said before shouting to Watanuki to bring more sake.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Iaf sat down after walking through the forest for some time "damn it the book didn't exactly have a map on this place now I'm lost" she kicked a tree stump "now which way?" she asked her self looking left and right to find nothing but fog, Iaf heard a noise from her left "that sounded like a splash maybe I'm back near the lake" Iaf said walking towards the sound "maybe if I call out someone will hear me…and then I'll never head the end of it, I know it" Iaf mumbled to herself "well it cant be that baAAADDD!!" Iaf yelled as she fell into the lake "Iaf?" a voice called her from a little way in front of her "y-yes?" she replied her teeth chattering "wait there I'm coming"

"But it's freezing!" she said already climbing up the bank, a hand grabbed her top "you're not used to this water?" Iaf turned around to find Syaoran behind her "I fell in how can that be getting used to it" she answered sarcastically "oh sorry" he said climbing up next to her "that's ok, hey where's camp?" she asked squeezing the water out of her hair "on the other side of the lake" Syaoran answered, Iaf froze "your kidding right?" she asked him, Syaoran shook his head "no"

"Damn that means I have to swim across the lake to get there" Iaf said standing up "you can walk around, you might run into Fai-san and Kurogane-san" Syaoran told her "what do you mean?"

"They left to look for you because you have been gone for ages" Syaoran answered jumping into the lake "but this ways faster!" Iaf shouted jumping in after him.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"Iaf-san!" Fai called out as he and Kurogane were walking through the forest, Kurogane sighed "forget it she isn't here" he said annoyed with his constant calling "but Kuro-grump what if she's lost?" Fai said, Kurogane swung a fist at him which Fai dodged "if she was around she would have answered by now" he said turning around "Kuro-pup where are you going?" Fai asked.

"Back to camp" he growled "but camp is this way" Fai said pointing to his left, Kurogane stopped "no its not it's this way" he said pointing out in front of him "I think we're lost" Fai said with a silly smile that made Kurogane want to punch him, "wait I think I heard a splash" Fai said looking to his left "but this way's faster" A voice floated towards them "that sounded like the brat" Kurogane said as Fai ran towards it "oi mage wait" he called to him as he ran after him.

Suddenly a flash of light and it was snowing snow and flower petals "Snow?" Fai said holding his hand up "there are flower petals too" Kurogane said brushing the snow and petals that landed on his head.

"Ahhh!" a scream echoed through the forest "Iaf" Fai called out where as Kurogane called out "brat"

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"it's cold" Iaf said climbing out of the water for a second time "okay Syaoran-kun I'll walk around and meet you there" Iaf said as Syaoran nodded and took off under water "hmm…now that I think about it I never really liked the cold, and that dream I had, who was that woman that made it snow…she was the only one that could see me" Iaf started slowly walking "that song she sung I know it and what did she say? My songs only harm because I believe they will, hmm…okay my song will not harm" Iaf encouraged herself "I know I'll try that song that Afina sang, let's see…" Iaf cleared her throat and began to sing

_I am calling, calling now_

_Spirits rise and falling _

_Silence is for better _

_Falling, falling _

_In the depths of longing _

_Silence is for better_

After Iaf was done singing she felt a pull at her heart and a flash of light surrounded her and when it disappeared she found it snowing, Iaf sighed "this snow doesn't bother me and it isn't cold like normal snow" Iaf held out her hand and a few snowflakes and flower petals fell on her hand "flower petals pretty" Iaf looked at the snow and she started remembering the Fai's past and all the pain and sorrow he went through "the pain…people dieing, Yuui…and Fai how could anyone do that to them? Those people are as cold as ice" Iaf said and she glowed again but this time the light was blue and it surrounded her from her feet to her elbows "I'm cold" Iaf said and tried to move her arms and legs (keyword tried) "I'm stuck" she said and the light disappeared to reveal her whole lower half incased in ice.

"Ahhh!" She screamed as the ice rose over her elbows

"Iaf"

"Brat"

Iaf heard Fai and Kurogane call out to her "who the hell is he calling a brat" she mumbled to herself before yelling out "Fai! Kurogane! Help!"

Fai came through the trees ahead of her first and stopped when he saw Iaf "Fai!" Iaf shouted the ice rising more "Iaf?! What happened?!"

"I don't know!" she yelled at him as Kurogane came out into the area they were in "what the-?!" He said nearly running into Fai.

"Help me!" Iaf yelled as the ice reached her shoulders, Fai turned to Kurogane "Kuro-cold kick the ice as hard as you can" he ordered pointing to the ice, Kurogane growled at being ordered around by him but did it anyway, he went up and gave the ice a good side kick which caused it to crack "Ahhhhh!!" Iaf screamed causing Kurogane to stop and Fai to run over to her "Iaf-san what happened?" he asked placing his hand on the ice "NO! Don't touch the ice!" she said a bit too late for as soon as Fai's hand touched the ice, a blue light incased his arm which turned into ice "Whoa what's going on?" Kurogane said taking a step back "I didn't mean for this to happen" Iaf whispered to her self "Iaf?" Fai asked "I never wanted this to happen!" she yelled, the ice cracked "Iaf?!" Fai said as the ice grew up to his shoulder "ice, let him go" Iaf shouted "yer like that will work" Kurogane mumbled "huh what's happening?" Fai said as the ice around his arm shattered.

"Now go!" Iaf told them, Kurogane took a step forward "now look here brat, if you think we're leaving you you're wr-"

"Back to camp now!" Iaf shouted cutting Kurogane off, the snow and flower petals started flying around Fai and Kurogane like mini tornados "Iaf wha-?" Fai was cut off as he suddenly disappeared along with Kurogane "good now how do I get this ice away…Afina help me" Iaf whispered and the snow started floating in a circle as the flower petals floated in a circle under the snow "what is going on?" Iaf wondered as the ice reached her chin.

A ghost appeared before Iaf that looked familiar "A-Afina?" Iaf said shocked, the ghost nodded and pointed to the sky "wha-?" Iaf asked and looked up to see the sun shining down on her "ahhh bright" Iaf looked at Afina to see her smile then disappear with the snow and flower petals "great what help was she…wait a minute" Iaf looked down to find the ice melting fast, when the ice was gone Iaf ran to camp to find everyone but Syaoran there "Fai-san, Kurogane-san I'm sorry for sending you away like that" she said walking towards her bag "Iaf how did you get free?" Fai asked walking towards her "a friend helped me" she said quietly "huh?"

"Oh nothing, the ice melted after you left" she told him with a smile "now excuse me for a sec I want to change into something warmer" she added ducking behind a tree and grabbing out the black outfit she wore in Tokyo.

After she was finished she put on the Tower coat over top to keep warmer and walked back to the group "Iaf-san, Iaf-san, look at Sakura she's…she's-"

"Asleep, right Mokona?" Iaf said cutting off Mokona's talking "yer, how did you know?"

"Well if anything was wrong with her Syaoran would be here right?" she said hoping that would confuse the little creature for a minute "hey Iaf-san where did you get those clothes from?" Fai asked looking at Iaf's Tower coat "oh these clothes I got at the world I went to from the Hanshin republic" Fai nodded to show he understood "I hope Kamui is okay and not hurting Fuuma" she added to herself "who or what is this Kamui?" Kurogane asked overhearing what she said "he's a good friend in that world I was at" Kurogane mumbled something "same with this Fuuma?" Iaf nodded "yep their both my friends" she told them with a big grin before falling backwards trying to sit down "oops, I feel a bit dizzy" she said putting a hand over her eyes to stop the dizziness "Iaf-san you look pale" Mokona said bouncing into Iaf's lap "no I'm fine just a bit dizzy" Iaf said putting up a smile _wow it's so easy not to show others your true feelings isn't it? _She asked herself then jumped when she felt a hand on her forehead "Iaf-san you're burning up, I think you have a fever" Fai said taking his hand away from her forehead "but…I can't have a-a fever there's no…no one here but us" Iaf said before falling asleep "no one here?" Kurogane questioned as Fai laid Iaf down "I think she means people" Fai said as Syaoran came out of the water "Syaoran-kun, Sakura-san is…"

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"Where am I?" Iaf asked herself after waking up in a strange room "the dream world" a voice told her and Iaf sat up to see Afina sitting at the end off the bed she was in "Afina?" she said a bit confused "yes it's me but right now you need to worry about you" Iaf was now more confused then ever "what do you mean?" she asked "if you are not careful you could be his next target" Afina told her "his?" Afina stood up and put her hand over Iaf's eyes "be careful your singing is so powerful it can even bring the dead to life, now wake up"

Iaf shot up scaring the shit out of Kurogane (though he would never admit it) who was watching her (Fai nagged him until he said yes) "Oi brat you okay?" he said as she looked around "are we in the Jade country?" she asked looking at Kurogane who growled "and how do you know the name of this country?" Iaf mentally slapped herself "Kurogane please stop asking me those questions" she said quietly but loud enough for him to hear "answer me truthfully and I will" he said standing up "look I will…but not now, right now you can't know the truth but trust me I will tell you the truth so please wait" Iaf told him looking him in the eyes "fine, your clothes for this world are there" he said pointing to the end of her bed before walking out.

Iaf got up and grabbed her clothes and after figuring out how to put on the under garments she slipped on the dress that was black lined with a dark navy blue "wow this looks different, I hardly recognize myself" Iaf said looking in a mirror hung up on the back of the door, a light tap sounded on the door "y-yes?" Iaf asked a bit surprised that someone was there "its Fai can I come in?"

"Oh umm, yes" Iaf replied grabbing the matching jacket on the bed as Fai opened the door "I heard that you were up and I wanted to see how you were feeling" he said closing the door "well I'm feeling much better thank you, and I think you look great in your clothes Fai really handsome" Iaf said turning around so he wouldn't see her blushing "why thank you, and I must say you look stunning in that dress" Fai replied causing Iaf's blush to deepen "well thank you, we better go to the others we're relocating right?" Iaf asked to change the subject "yes we're going to a town up north" he said standing up "spirit" Iaf whispered "did you say something Iaf-san?" Fai asked holding the door open, Iaf shook her head "oh no nothing" she answered quickly stepping out the door.

Downstairs everyone was waiting for them.

"Iaf-chan!" Mokona chirped when he saw Iaf coming down the stairs with Fai behind her, Sakura walked over to her with Mokona in her arms "Iaf-san are you alright?" she asked passing Mokona to her "yes Sakura-hime I'm fine its just the dimension traveling always leaves me weak for some reason, don't worry" Iaf put on a big smile "you look lovely in that dress hime, it suits you" Sakura blushed, Iaf leaned to look behind Sakura "what do you think Syaoran-kun?" she asked making Syaoran blush.

"Oi we should go now" Kurogane said getting everyone's attention "your right Kurogane-san, but before we go where's the bathroom?" Iaf asked looking around "it's through that door" Fai told her pointing to a door on the right "thank Fai-san I'll be out in a minute" she said as she went through the door.

Once inside the door she pulled her bag off her back and looked in one of her side pockets "where is my hair stuff?" she asked herself while looking in another pocket "ah ha! Found them" she pulled out a hairbrush and a few hair ties "now for the hard part"

She brushed her hair then put it up into a pony tail leaving some hair out next to the hair tie, she then wound the rest of her hair around the hair tie and slipped it under the hair tie "that looks okay" she said looking in the mirror, a pounding on the door made Iaf jump "are you done yet?" came Kurogane's voice "I'm coming" she called out, shoving the rest of her stuff back into the bag she opened the door to find Kurogane still standing there with a scowl on his face "I'm sorry for making you wait…where are the others?" Iaf asked seeing that no one else was in the room, Kurogane grunted "they started without us, so hurry up we have to go" he said walking towards the door "why did they leave without us?" Iaf asked running after him as he left the bar "they wanted to get to the town before sundown, but they only left like five minutes ago so we should catch up" he told her hoping up on his horse, Iaf stood there "how long was I in there for?" she asked, he shrugged "I don't know fifteen minutes maybe, now hurry up and get on" he said holding his hand out, Iaf took his hand and he pulled her up in front of him "whoa, I'm not good with horses" she said steadying herself "hold on" Kurogane told her before taking off.

"Ahh!" Iaf yelled flinging her arms around Kurogane "slow down!" she shouted "I will…when we catch up to the others" he said not slowing down, Iaf tightened her grip "are you trying to squeeze the air out of me?" he growled "no! I'm trying not to fall" Iaf growled back "I see the others" he said, Iaf looked out in front to see the others in the distance, turning back she held on tight "go faster, we have to reach them before they get to the town" she said "why?" Kurogane asked speeding up a little "this is one of those things you need to trust me on, please Kurogane" Iaf said not looking at him "you'll tell me later?" he asked "yes" was the only reply he got before he sped up with Iaf holding on tight.

Kurogane called out to the others when they were close causing them to stop "ah Kuro-slow we were wondering when you would catch up to us, umm…where is Iaf-san?" Fai asked when they caught up "here" Kurogane said moving his arm to show them the little girl holding around his stomach for dear life.

Kurogane tapped her on the shoulder "oi we've stopped" Iaf looked up at him before turning around to face the others "we're here" she said pointing past the two horses in front of her, everyone but Kurogane and Iaf turned around to see a little town in front of them "wow good spotting Iaf-chan" Mokona piped up from Sakura's arms, Iaf smiled "let's go"

"Look!" Mokona exclaimed after travelling a little further, pointing to a sign up ahead.

"Whatever could be written on it?" Fai wondered.

"It says 'Spirit'." Syaoran and Iaf said together.

"I think that's how you say it. If it's the same pronunciation as what my dad taught me" Syaoran explained.

"You can actually read it!" Fai exclaimed.

"That's great!" Sakura added.

"I know some of that language" Iaf added at the end, truth was she couldn't read it at all.

"Hey!" Kurogane snapped. "Guess it's not the time to joke around" Iaf said. Silence fell over the group. They looked to the town to see black figures watching them from house windows.

"That is creepy" Iaf muttered shivering before they slowly went towards town.

"I feel like..." Fai said as another pair of shutters slammed closed.

"We are not welcome here." They were riding through the middle of town and there was no one in site.

"It's not 'feel like'." Kurogane growled. "It's the truth" As they passed another house, they saw a little girl standing in front of the house's door looking at them. She had pigtails and was holding a cat plush toy.

"Maybe we can ask her about the legend?" Iaf said pointing to her, Syaoran nodded as Fai and Kurogane glanced at her before glancing at each other.

"Hello" Syaoran said to the little girl, "I want to ask you something, about this town-" A woman burst through the door and grabbed the child.

"Didn't I tell you not to go out!" she scolded the girl before pulling her inside. It _was _getting dark, but the hostility of the townspeople suggested a different reason. The door slammed shut.

"How bloody rude, no wonder this place is separated from the rest of the towns" Iaf said sticking her finger up at the door.

"Be kind you old lady!" Mokona giggled.

"Guess this has to do with what we've heard in the bar. If we can't talk to anyone, we won't be able to confirm whether the legend is real or not even if we wanted to" Fai complained.

"Well they could be kinder about it" Kurogane said with a scowl, Iaf nodded "I agree" she said looking at Syaoran.

"At least tell us where the golden-haired princess is…" Syaoran muttered. Suddenly there was the sound of a large group of footsteps. Kurogane and Fai pull on their horse's reins to stop them as a group of the townsmen pointed their guns at the group, Iaf nearly fell forward when Kurogane did this. Syaoran turned his horse around to shield Sakura with his body.

"Who are you?!" one of them asked.

"We're travellers. We're travelling around the world to investigate old legends and architectures." Syaoran replied calmly. Iaf, though, was scared, even though she knew nothing would happen.

"What are you investigating those for?" the man demanded.

"We're writing a book." Fai and Kurogane were surprised, Iaf smirked.

"A book?" the man repeated sceptically.

"Yes."

"A kid like you?"

"No. it's that person." Syaoran replied, pointing to Fai. Fai immediately picked up the lie (of course).

"That's right!" He indicated Sakura. "This is my sister. This boy is my assistant and this one here is my servant," Fai pointed to Kurogane.

"_**Who's**_is the servant?!" he yelled. Iaf elbowed him in the stomach "be nice to the man, he is after all your boss" she said with a smile facing him, she slipped Mokona into his coat.

"And this beautiful woman is my servant's sister." Fai finished, pointing to Iaf. Iaf felt herself go pink. Kurogane's mouth dropped open in shock and Syaoran and Sakura blinked.

"You can see the resemblance" Fai said with a wave of his hand, Kurogane muttered to himself "yer right"

"You shouldn't grumble nii-chan people might think you're an old man" Iaf said giggling, Kurogane gave her a sour look.

"Stop!" a voice shouted. A man ran towards them.

"Doctor...!" the man who had questioned them asked. The doctor had black hair that was tied back, brown eyes with glasses. He went in between the two groups and held out his arms.

Iaf tensed, Kurogane noticed this and stared at her in confusion.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^


	5. Chapter 5

"Don't you dare point guns at innocent travellers!" the doctor said, appalled.

"But in a time of crisis, outsiders-"

"It's _because_ they're outsiders that your guns are so rude." The doctor turned to them. "Please forgive us travellers. I welcome you to Spirit. Please allow me to give you somewhere to sleep during your stay here"

"Why thank you very much" Fai said smiling "yes thank you" Sakura piped up as Syaoran nodded.

They rode slowly through the town following the doctor to his house, Iaf turned to Kurogane "don't trust him, please" she whispered clinging to his top, Kurogane looked down at her "what do you mean?" he asked, Iaf shook her head "just don't trust him" she said shacking.

When they arrived the doctor took them straight to a large room with a fireplace to warm them up "stay here I'll be back in a minute with drinks" he told them leaving the room.

Fai walked over to Iaf who was still shaking "Iaf-san are you alright?" he asked putting a hand on her shoulder causing her to jump "oh I'm fine Fai-san, just a bit cold that's all" Iaf lied smiling, Kurogane looked at the door the doctor had just walked out of, he was thinking over what Iaf had said on the way here.

"Are you sure?" Fai asked as Iaf nodded, the doctor came back into the room then holding a tray of drinks, Iaf tensed.

He brought some tea and hot chocolate over and set down the try on the table. Sakura was sitting on the couch nearest to the fireplace. Fai sat of the armrest next to Iaf in worry who was sitting on the chair furthest away from the doctor. Syaoran stood near Sakura and Kurogane leaned on the fireplace that was crackling with burning wood.

Iaf looked out the window to see it was now nightfall _wow how time flies_.

"I'm the doctor of the town, Kyle Rondart." the doctor said, introducing himself.

"Thank you so much for taking us in." Syaoran said.

"Think nothing of it. This house used to be an inn, I have more rooms then I need." he added at the end with a chuckle, Iaf scowled. Sakura took a cup and Iaf reluctantly took one, the front door burst open causing Iaf to drop the cup, spilling the tea all over the floor.

"I'm sorry" she said grabbing the cup.

"What is the meaning of this?!" a man shouted coming into the room.

The man had black hair tied back and carried a walking staff with a purple crystal as the handle. "Are you insane, taking complete utter strangers into your home like this?!" There was an old man behind him, he was old and his hair white.

Iaf ran out of the room saying something about cloths to clean up the mess.

"Mr. Grosum, please, calm yourself-"

"Who can be calm in this situation Mr. Mayor?! We haven't found a single one of them!!!"

"That's exactly _why_ I took them in." Dr. Kyle said. "These people said that they've travelled to many places investigating legends and the like. There's no telling how helpful their information could be!"

"A bunch of good-for-nothing- travellers from God knows where?! What could they possibly know?!"

"They could know things no one here does." Dr. Kyle retorted.

Iaf came back with some paper towel and laid it over the spill.

"After all that's happened...whatever they know...it's just too late." The man, Mr. Grosum, said then walked out of the house.

"M-Mr. Grosum...!" the Mayor turned to Dr. Kyle. "I-In any case, please make sure that none of these people go out at night." Then the Mayor left too, closing the door behind him.

"Forgive me. They gave me no time for introductions." Dr. Kyle said, "Those were the Mayor and Mr. Grosum. Mr. Grosum owns most of the land in this area."

He then bent down next to Iaf and grabbed the paper towels, Iaf stiffened "don't worry about the mess" he said throwing the paper towels in the fire, Iaf relaxed once he was back at the table, Fai and Kurogane noticed this.

"We've come at a terrible time, haven't we?" Fai asked sadly. "We had heard the legend of Spirit in the previous town."

"I, too, once assumed it was just a legend...but I never thought the children would start disappearing. We've put out all our effort into finding them. It's already gotten as high a 20!" Dr. Kyle explained sitting down in a spare chair.

"That many..." Sakura whispered. She was obviously concerned.

"Those poor kids." Iaf murmured looking at Dr. Kyle.

"What do you know about the disappearances, Dr. Kyle?" Iaf asked walking over to the window "not very much why?" he asked, Iaf sighed "no reason, well I'm going to bed early, um which is my room?" Iaf asked "oh allow me to show you" Dr. Kyle offered "no!" Iaf replied without hesitation "I-I mean I wouldn't want to burden you, you can just tell me" she added

"I think I'll go to bed too" Kurogane said earning everyone's attention "okay then, your room is upstairs and third on the left" the doc told him "but what about her room…?"

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"It looks like we get to share a room, huh nii-chan" Iaf said with a grin as she and Kurogane entered their room, Kurogane closed the door "damn that mage and his lies" he growled, Dr. Kyle thought that since they were brother and sister that they could share a room, Fai and Syaoran were in the room next door and Sakura was across the hall.

"Would you rather sharing with Fai then me?" Iaf asked as she placed her bag at the foot of one of the bed's, Kurogane ignored the question "didn't you say you'll tell me why we had to reach the others before they got to town" Kurogane reminded Iaf, she nodded "well I thought you would know why by now but…I knew that the townsfolk were a bit hostile and if we had come here later then the others we might have blown their cover story, not to mention that we wouldn't have known where they were staying" Iaf explained _wow, if I didn't know better that would have convinced me. _Iaf thought to herself as Kurogane thought it over "I suppose your right" he said after a while "get some sleep" he told her after he had settled down into his own bed, "okay goodnight" Iaf said hoping in her own bed.

_I have to get the children tonight or else Sakura will be hurt _Iaf decided she would wait until midnight then sneak out and go to the castle.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"Hey Syaoran-kun, did you see how tense Iaf-san was around Dr. Kyle?" Fai asked the boy as he was getting ready for bed, Syaoran nodded his head "maybe she doesn't like doctors" Syaoran suggested as he climbed into bed, Fai slowly nodded "maybe your right, well goodnight Syaoran-kun" Fai said hoping into his own bed.

"Goodnight Fai-san"

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Iaf carefully snuck out of the inn and ran to the river surrounding the castle, when she got there she saw children crossing the water "oh no I need to hurry or else I won't make it" she ran to the edge and carefully walked across the bridge under the water, once on the other side the water returned to its normal state, Iaf looked at the water that was now violent and fast "now I won't be able to get back" she said to herself.

"Oh well time to find the feather" she said turning towards the castle.

After travelling through lots of halls Iaf stopped "damn the books don't show me which way to go, now I'm lost" she said to herself, a sudden sound made Iaf wiz around "who's there?" she said taking a few step back "I know how to fight" she added, she turned to ran and bumped into someone "Ahhhhhhh!" she screamed before that person put his hand over her mouth, Iaf started getting dizzy _oh no! I can't black out now, I have to help the others, I have…to get…the…feather _Iaf thought before fainting.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Kurogane woke up to find Iaf gone "humph, she's never an early riser, wonder where she is?" he said getting up, he walked downstairs to find Fai and Syaoran sitting at the fireplace talking to Dr. Kyle "oh Kuro-tan, you're up. Is Iaf-san still asleep?" Fai asked when he saw Kurogane "you mean she's not here?" Kurogane said to Fai ignoring the nickname "no I haven't seen her since last night" Fai told him standing up "how about you Syaoran?" Fai asked the boy next to him who shook his head.

Dr. Kyle stood up "I'll make breakfast" he said walking off to the kitchen.

"Morning everyone" Sakura called out coming down the stairs, everyone turned to Sakura "umm, Sakura-chan have you seen Iaf-san?" Fai asked, Sakura shook her head "not since last night, but…" she trailed off.

"But what Hime?" Syaoran asked.

"I did see something last night, it was-"

"My child!!!" someone screamed from outside. They all ran outside to find a huge crowd gathered in the main square. "I've looked everywhere and can't find her!" the woman exclaimed to the leader of the group who had held the group at gunpoint yesterday. The woman held a stuffed cat toy. It had been the girl with pigtails they saw yesterday. "I locked up the house tight last night!"

"Someone broke in?!"

"No, it had been opened from the inside! And I had told her countless times not to touch the lock! She's a good girl, so she wouldn't have done it by herself."

"It must be the golden-haired princess!" someone shouted.

"Then it wasn't a dream..." Sakura whispered, putting her hands over her mouth.

The leader turned towards them "'that'?! What does she mean by 'that'?!" the leader of the group exclaimed, Syaoran stepped in between him and Sakura. They glared at each other.

"Last night I saw a woman in a flowing white dress with golden hair walking through the town with blackbirds following her." Sakura said a little shakily from behind Syaoran.

"So it's true?! The princess with golden locks is kidnapping our children!" the mother of the pigtails child exclaimed in horror.

"It's the princess of the northern castle!"

"The curse of the princess!"

"Will you people grow up!" a voice shouted, silencing the crowd. It was Mr. Grosum. Everyone turned to him. They heard someone running towards us and turned to find that is was Dr. Kyle.

"Has another child gone missing?" he asked, concerned.

"Last night." Mr. Grosum replied. "These travellers haven't set foot outside, right?"

"I need to go out at any time, day or night, for emergencies." Dr. Kyle replied, standing in front of them. "Because of that, my room and office are right next to the front door. I would have known if someone had left." Dr. Kyle and Mr. Grosum stared at each other.

"People, we aren't going to do any good here." the Mayor said. "Shall we start our search for the child?" The mob of townspeople slowly lessened as the townsfolk left to get ready for the search. Other women tried to consol the mother of the missing child. The leader gave us one last glare over his shoulder before leaving.

"My! How some people stared at us." Fai commented.

"They're suspicious of us." Kurogane replied. _Why...do I feel like I'm missing something? Something important... _he thought as the crowd lessened.

"Umm…should we have told them about Iaf-san disappearing?" Sakura asked, Dr. Kyle shook his head "it's probably best that you don't say anything, in the state the towns in, the townsfolk will probably think she ran off with the child" he told her, Sakura nodded "well I want to look for her" she said looking over to Syaoran who nodded "we will, hime"

"Shall we go back to my home? We can have breakfast." Dr. Kyle suggested.

The group nodded, they walked back to the doctor's house.

On the way the sound of cawing filled the air. Syaoran paused and looked up into a nearby tree, where the sound was coming from. A large flock of blackbirds were perched there.

"Birds?"

"Syaoran-kun, are you coming?" Sakura asked looking back at him.

"Yes Sakura-hime"

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Iaf woke to find herself on an old hospital looking bed, Iaf got out of bed "what happened?" she asked herself.

"Oh no! I got caught" she exclaimed remembering what happened last night, she walked towards the front door but was stopped when her leg got caught, she lifted her dress to find her leg shackled to the wall "you got to be kidding me" she complained "maybe if I do what Sakura does to hers…" she said pulling on the chain. She stopped pulling when it wouldn't budge "oh so you give me the strong chain huh" she growls kicking the bed "now what?" she asked herself sitting down on the bed, she lay down and fell asleep.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"Is reading about history a hobby of yours?" Fai asked Syaoran. They had finished breakfast and were now walking around the town.

"Yes. But there's something I want to check." He said, they were going to the Mayor's house, to investigate. Soon they were walking up the steps of the house.

"We should be looking for Iaf-san" Sakura said pouting, Syaoran patted her on the shoulder "we will but we can't look when the town it because we would have to explain what were doing"

"Well! It looks like the doctor's instructions led us straight here." Fai said pointing to the white house in front of them. "It seems there's a history book in Mr. Grosum's house as well, but I doubt he'd lend it to us." Fai pulled a cord that rung the doorbell. A maid poked her head out.

"H-Hello can I help you?"

"Please forgive the intrusion. Might this be the Mayor's house?"

"Uh...um..." The maid looked scared. Then the Mayor came into view.

"You're those travellers who are staying in the doctor's house?" he asked. Fai stepped in and took off his hat.

"Good day. Yes, that would be us." Fai replied bowing.

"Please, come in." the Mayor invited. They were taken t a lounge room that looked a lot like the doctors lounge. Fai and Sakura sat on the couch and the Mayor sat in the chair. Kurogane and Syaoran stood behind the couch. "This makes the 21st child." the Mayor started, his head in his hands.

"And there are no clues at all to any of the disappearances?" Fai asked.

"No clues are ever left behind. Not this time either. For the last few years, the climate had been unpredictable, leading to a string of back crops. This has already upset the people. And now the children! Now everyone is blaming a 300-year-old legend!"

"When did the first child disappear?" Syaoran asked.

"2 months ago. Early one morning, he went out to pick berries in the forest. He never came back. Soon after, another vanished. Then 3 at once! The parents would warn the children time and time again not to go off with strangers, to touch the locks or even to be out after sunset. But despite that, they would continue to vanish. And only _children _vanished, no adults or teenagers. There is a history book that contains the story of Princess Emeraude. It tells the tale in depth that I couldn't even hope to retell. I've read it lots of times, trying to pick out anything to help us. I suggest you read it and then leave as soon as you can...before something more dire happens." the Mayor warned. He handed the book to Syaoran. They now had 2 copies of the same book, the mayor's and Dr. Kyle's.

"Thank you for the advice. However, we have things we must do." Syaoran said. Fai helped Sakura up from the couch and Kurogane waited for them to say goodbye, and then they took their leave.

"Now we look for Iaf-san" Sakura said once they were outside.

"But Hime-"

"Sakura-chan's right Syaoran-kun, what if she's hurt?" Fai said cutting Syaoran off.

"But Dr. Kyle said-"

"Stuff what that guy says" Kurogane growled walking off, Sakura ran after him with Fai and Syaoran right behind her.

"Kuro-tan why say that about Dr. Kyle?" Fai asked when they caught up to him, Kurogane shrugged "it's just something the brat said"

"Iaf-san?" Syaoran asked, Kurogane nodded "what did Iaf-san say?" Sakura asked, Kurogane stopped walking "don't trust him"

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Iaf woke up again and looked around "shit! It wasn't a dream" she got up and walked over to the window, looking out she found out that she was in a tower "why am I always in high places?" she asked herself, she could see the town from where she was "I wonder if the others are looking for me…probably not, at least here I'm out of the way"

She looked up at the setting sun "almost kidnapped for a whole day" Iaf sighed, she sat back down on her bed "I'm bored he could have at least put a book in here or something" she complained putting her head on her hands "let's see if I can do another spell with my singing" Iaf cleared her throat.

_It's time to move out of the darkness_

_Use what you fell inside_

_Faith alone will guide you_

_Feel it turn inside_

_In your heart_

_To your soul_

_Don't be scared_

_Keep believing_

_I know you know_

_Deep inside_

_That your time has come_

_Once in every lifetime_

_If you do believe_

_Then can you form mountains_

_And change the course of history_

_How far (far)_

_We've come_

_So far…from home_

"Hmm…nothing happened" Iaf sulked "except it's now night time great" Iaf walked over to her window, looking down she spotted children crossing the water "oh no" she gasped, she spotted Sakura a little further back fainting "Sakura!" she yelled.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"Oh no I'm going to lose them!" Sakura exclaimed as she climbed onto the window's edge and pulled herself onto the tree that stood guard outside her window. She climbed down and ran after the kids. _We're going to the castle! _And Sakura was right. She was running down the path that led to the castle. _The hime's taking them to the castle, but how will the cross the river?!_ Princess Emuraude lifted her arms and the blackbirds flew to the castle, the river slowed to a gentle flow, as if by magic.

"Eh?!" The children stepped over the rubble from the former bridge to the water and then crossed it with ease, ripples spreading from their footsteps. _They're walking across the water! _And that's when Sakura felt her weariness catch up with her. "No." she groaned, leaning against a tree next to her, her hand over her face. "I can't...sleep now..." She looked up to see princess Emuraude by the bridge before fainting.

"Sakura!" a distant voice called out as a shadow loomed over her.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Iaf watched as the shadow brought Sakura inside the castle "let her go you jerk!" she yelled from her room.

Around twenty minutes later the person appeared in front of Iaf's door "you won't win, my friends will stop you" Iaf said walking as close to the door as she could.

"Right if you say so, here" he chucked something at Iaf, she caught it. It was an apple. "You need to eat unless you want to die" he said before walking away

"You won't win Kyle, neither will Fei Wang Reed!" Iaf shouted, Dr. Kyle came back. "How do you know about him?" he asked "its just one of the many things I know, now shouldn't you get back, we wouldn't want anyone to notice you missing now would we?" Iaf said sarcastically.

Dr. Kyle left saying "I'll be back"

"Whatever" Iaf said biting into the apple.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"Sakura-chan, morning!" Fai called cheerfully the next morning as he, Kurogane and Syaoran passed her room. There was no answer. "Is she still asleep?" Fai wondered. Kurogane shrugged. "Sakura-chan, I'm coming in!" Fai announced, opening the door.

Mokona shouted "Sakura's gone!" Syaoran's eyes widened in shock. Kurogane looked in the room, his eyes wide, his mouth slightly agape.

"I want the outsiders down here now!" a voice called from downstairs. It was the unmistakable voice of the leader.

"Stop a moment, please!" Dr. Kyle shouted, trying to stop the men from coming up.

"More children have disappeared. This time 7 of them!"

"Please wait! None of these people when out last night!!!" Mokona hid in Fai's coat. "What about the girls?!"

"She's not in her room." Syaoran replied calmly.

"What did you say?!" Dr. Kyle said, shocked.

"They got out and you didn't see it doctor?" the leader accused.

"No. Not Ms. Sakura too..." Dr. Kyle whispered.

"No! The girls _took_ the children with them! With the unbelievable story about seeing the golden-haired princess, they could have kidnapped them, using the legend as an excuse!!" the leader roared. He pointed his gun at them.

Several things happened at once. Syaoran disarmed the leader by kicking the gun out of his hands. Kurogane snatched the gun out of the air, sent the leader to the floor on his stomach, and stood over him, the gun pointed at his head.

All of this happened within a few seconds.

"A man who points a weapon should be prepared to die by one." Kurogane lectured. His blood-red eyes were bright and had a slightly crazed look in them.

"Hyuu~! Kuro-sama that was a thing of beauty!" Fai praised, stepping aside to join everyone.

"Let me go, damn it!" the leader yelled. The other men in the group took a few steps back, not wanting to challenge Kurogane.

"We had nothing to do with the disappearance of the children." Syaoran spoke up.

"Though I doubt you'd believe us. But Iaf-san ad Sakura-chan couldn't even hurt an animal even if they tried they are just to kind" Fai added.

"Of course not! Until they're found, you're the most suspicious of all!" the leader retorted.

"We'll look for them then, to prove our innocence and to find our missing girls" Fai said, stepping forward.

"Yes." Syaoran agreed. "We'll find out why the children are disappearing. We'll find them and find the most important person in my life." he whispered at the end. Syaoran was truly devoted to Sakura.

"And the other brat" Kurogane reminded him "Oh and Iaf-san too" Syaoran added.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Fai, Kurogane and Syaoran were watching Dr. Kyle at work "tell me again why we're watching Dr. Kyle?" Syaoran asked, Kurogane shushed him "because Iaf said not to trust him" Fai stated "well you guys keep watching, I'm going to study the books" Syaoran whispered before slinking away, Fai scooted over to Kurogane "Kuro-tan, why are you doing this?" he asked, Kurogane growled at the nickname "because that brat knows things about this quest you heard her, she wouldn't say not to trust the doc if she didn't have a good reason" he murmured, Fai shrugged "that doesn't answer my question" Fai whispered to himself before going back to watching Dr. Kyle with one of his patients.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Iaf woke up on a different room, it was draped in red, black and violet.

She looked around and saw a desk with papers all over it, something in the corner of her eye caught her attention, it was a full-length mirror.

She walked over to it and looked at her reflection to notice she looked cleaner, nicer…non-captured like, Iaf looked down at her ankle to find the shackle gone, but the marking of the shackle on her leg "ok weird, where am I?" she asked herself.

"My room" a voice replied from behind her, she turned to find Afina smiling at her.

Afina walked over to Iaf and sat down next to her "Lady Afina, what am I doing here?" she asked "I pulled you here because I want you to escape your cell so you an help your friends-"

"But how, I'm shackled and the door is locked and bolted" Iaf complained.

"Well listen you silly child, now as I was saying to escape you need to learn your angels' voice" Afina explained.

"Angels voice?"

"Yes, angels voice, now to do this I want you to concentrate on this candle with all your heart" Afina said holding out a un-lit candle.

"O-Okay, sure" Iaf said and concentrated on the candle.

"Now say whatever comes to your heart"

"_Burn_" Iaf said, her voice sounding different.

The candle lit up a flame and Afina smiled "well done that was perfect for your first shot, another way to do this is to think of what you want to do and listen to your heart, but if it's a continuous spell like trying to teleport of boil water you'd have to concentrate the _whole_ time, also be warned this power will not work if you have conflicting emotions in your heart" Afina warned "thank you Lady Afina, for all your help" Iaf said, standing up and curtsying "please just call me Afina and I should thank you because now I know there is someone else who has the angles voice, its an ancient power only passed throughout the ages to the purest of hearts" Afina replied before Iaf's vision blurred and she passed out.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^


	6. Chapter 6

Kurogane and Fai crouched as they waited for Dr. Kyle to appear.

"Hey Kuro-rin, do you think the reason Iaf-chan told you not to trust Dr. Kyle is because she knew he was the one kidnapping the children?" Fai asked, Kurogane shrugged "didn't we already talk about this? it's the most probable reason, after all we did overhear her telling the witch that she knows everything about this quest" he replied.

"Then do you think Iaf-chan also knew about Sakura-chan getting kidnapped and left the night before to try and prevent that?" Fai suggested.

"Your talkative tonight aren't you?" Kurogane growled, Fai was about to reply when Dr. Kyle turned up following their dummy of a child.

Kurogane stepped out of their hiding spot the same time Syaoran and Mr. Grosum along with the leader of the townsfolk "hello Dr. Kyle"

"S-Syaoran, why are you here?" Dr. Kyle asked, Fai saw something out of the corner of his eye and looked over at the castle to see a tower window with a glowing light "hey Kuro-rin look at that" he whispered nudging Kurogane, Kurogane scowled and looked over at the castle to see the light "what is it?" he asked.

"I don't know but if you look closely you can make out a persons' shadow on the wall, someone's up there" Fai replied and watched Kurogane squint at the glowing light "hmm, your right, should we tell the kid it could be one of the other brats"

"Iaf-chan and Sakura-chan are not brats" Fai said, he turned to tell Syaoran about the light when Dr. Kyle took off across the river with the others hot on his heels.

"Well let's go Kuro-tan" Fai said with a fake smile and ran after the others with Kurogane.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Iaf woke up and rubbed her head "geez, visiting Afina gives me a headache" she said getting off the bed "but seeing as how I have nothing to do, I'll practice my angels voice after all practice makes perfect, so first I'll brighten this dark room" she stood still and held out her hands "_Light_"

A glowing ball of light materialized in her hands and floated to the ceiling where it stopped moving.

As Iaf opened her eyes and moved around the ball dimmed but held its light "so I can do other things while concentrating on one thing but can I concentrate on two things" she asked herself looking at her shackles, concentrating on the ball she somehow broke her mind into two part one each to concentrate on one thing.

"_Unlock and rust" _she said, the shackle unlocked from her ankle then she watched as it rusted up, she bent down and picked up the shackle and tried to close it but failed "well at least no one will use this again but this place is going to collapse anyway so no one will use it anyway" she said before running to the door.

She was about to use her angels voice when she saw a big hairy spider scurry in the room from under the door right next to her foot.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"Let Sakura-hime go Dr. Kyle" Syaoran shouted as Dr. Kyle held Sakura against her will "no! Not till I get the feather" Dr. Kyle responded looking at the feather in Sakura's arms.

"But its Sakura-chan's feather" Mokona complained.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" a scream echoed around them.

"What was that?" Kurogane growled looking towards the roof, Dr. Kyle started laughing "what's so funny?" he growled again.

"I'm just shocked that you don't know your own sister's scream" Dr. Kyle said, Kurogane looked confused "sis…? The brat!" he exclaimed "Iaf-chan?!" Fai, Syaoran and Sakura shouted.

Suddenly the castle started shaking "what's going on?" Dr. Kyle asked "the lever broke when Kuro-rin pulled it to stop the river, so maybe the gates broke releasing all the water" Fai suggested.

"So in other words the castle is about to be bombarded by rushing water causing it to collapse" Kurogane said "what? Then I have to get out of here, give me the feather!" Dr. Kyle said reaching for the feather "no!" Sakura shouted pulling out of his grasp, Syaoran took this opportunity to kick Dr. Kyle away from Sakura and bring her to the group.

"We have to get out of here!" Mr. Grosum shouted.

"But we have to save Iaf-chan!" Sakura said.

"Kuro-tan and I will look for her for as long as we can Sakura-chan so you get yourself out of here" Fai said with a fake smile "okay, but be careful" she replied and ran down the hallway with the others who were holding the children they found.

"Well Kuro-rin my guess is she is in the tower where we saw the light" Fai said "okay, but how do we get up there idiot?" Kurogane replied, Fai shrugged "we could start by taking the stairs" he said pointing to the stairs the others took to go up.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Iaf grabbed onto the bed to stop herself from falling over "I'm going to die if I don't get out of here" she said, she walked as best she could with the floor shaking, over to the window to see Syaoran, Sakura, the leader, Mr. Grosum and the children on the other side of the river "wait where is Fai and Kurogane? They're not looking for me are they?!" she asked herself "come on, get out, get out" she said over and over.

After what seemed like forever Kurogane and Fai finally came out of the castle "thank god" she said "now how do I get out of here, if only I could teleport or something…wait, Afina said something about teleporting, so all I have to do is concentrate on teleporting to the other side of the river"

Iaf sat down and concentrated, she started to glow "_teleport_" Iaf transformed into a bird of light that flew out of the now open roof of her tower cell and flew towards the group standing on the other side of the river.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"What is that?" Mr. Grosum asked pointing to the bird of light coming towards them.

"I don't know" Syaoran said "me neither" Sakura added.

"I've never seen it" Kurogane said "no, me too" Fai said, the leader aimed his gun at it "it might be another trap let's shot it" he said.

"Shot it?!" the bird shouted suddenly stopping as Iaf broke her concentration and transformed back into herself.

"Ahh!" she screamed as she fell into the river "Iaf-chan/san!" the group shouted.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Iaf felt her energy drain as she struggled in the water "he-help me!" she shouted out as she went under, using the last of her energy she pushed herself up to the surface.

"Iaf-chan, where are you?" someone called out "here, help me please" she said weakly "over there" she heard Sakura shout, she was pulled by the current and hit her head against one of the big stones that fell from the castle and got pulled under again as her vision went black and she passed out.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Iaf woke up to see herself on Kurogane's back "wh-what happened?" she asked weakly opening her eyes a bit "Iaf-san are you alright?" Fai asked from somewhere beside her "I feel drained and weak, what happened?" she asked again.

"Well when you were in the water you went downstream and we couldn't find you until Sakura-chan pointed you out, we were going to send Kuro-tan in to get you but the rope that the leader had might not have held the two of you because Kuro-wan wan is big and strong and would have broken the rope so I had to swim to the bottom of the river to get you because you had passed out" Fai replied.

_Crap he said a lot, my head hurts_ Iaf thought as she yawned "and 'cause Kuro-rin couldn't go in the river, he's now carrying you because we need to go, we just left the town" Fai added "thanks Kurogane-san" Iaf whispered, feeling herself slipping back into unconsciousness "they made me do it" he said, she turned her head and looked at the spirit sign which now had a picture of a bat on it "the bat symbol" she said before passing out again.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Everyone stood up and looked around "So, what will this country be like?" Fai asked.

"Welcome to Otou Country" four girls cheered scaring the group "well that answers that question" Kurogane grumbled dusting himself off "wait Kuro-rin, where's Iaf-san?" Fai asked noticing the missing girl that _was _on his back "I don't know, she was there when we teleported from Jade country" he said looking around, Fai, Sakura and Syaoran started looking too.

"Oi mage" Kurogane called out pulling Fai away "look the girl knows where we are, after all she would have known this was the next world, so she knows what we are going to do and where we are going to be so don't worry about her" he said rubbing his forehead.

"Alright, fine" Fai said "Syaoran-kun, Sakura-chan, let's go get settled"

"But Fai-san what about Iaf-san?" Sakura asked "Iaf-chan is a strong, determined girl I'm sure she'll be fine" Fai reassured her "Okay" Sakura said reluctantly.

"Don't worry, she has to come back to us, we have her bag" he said pointing to her bag.

"Have you registered yet?" one of the girls asked "huh?" Syaoran said a bit confused.

"That's not good! We have to take them to City Hall immediately! Come on let's go!" the girls exclaimed.

"Okay!" Fai and Mokona cheered, the girls started to lead the group down the street.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Iaf cleaned the last table and put the chair up "I'm off for the night!" Iaf called out to the bartender "see you tomorrow Iaf" the bartender replied "see you later Caldina"

Iaf walked out of the bar and headed home, she had been in Otou country for two weeks and had been waiting for the others to arrive, she even got a job as a waitress at the 'Clover' the bar where she knows Kurogane and Fai turn up.

"I'm home" she called out as she entered the two story house "Iaf-san, how was work?" a voice called out from the next room "good, hey Alyx are we going hunting tonight?" Iaf asked taking her shoes off, her roommate came into the room "if you're up to it" she said, Iaf nodded "I am"

When she awoke in this world she found herself in this worlds Alyx's house, it seemed that Alyx had found her out cold in the street and that Iaf had a fever so Alyx brought her to her home and took care of her for the day and a half Iaf was out, when she woke up Alyx offered Iaf to become her roommate and asked if she wanted to become an oni hunter with Alyx, Iaf accepted both gift and said in return she'll do half the house work.

After about a week in Otou Iaf asked Alyx if she was allowed to get another job, Alyx said that if it doesn't clash with her first job that she was allowed so she got the waitress job at the 'Clover' she even became friends with some of the other oni hunters like Soma, Kusanagi, Ryou and Nekoi.

Alyx told Iaf she worked with twin swords and asked Iaf what weapons she could use, Iaf told her she could only use a crossbow and was good at hand to hand combat but she also has magic, which Alyx was surprised cause she never met anyone who could use magic.

Alyx showed Iaf the weapon store and Iaf found a crossbow she liked with magical properties so the arrows never ran out and so Iaf could infuse some of the arrows with fire and wind.

After Alyx and Iaf's first oni hunt together they become better friends when each girl had protected the other from an attack.

A few days later Iaf had her hair cut to shoulder length and she decided to tell Alyx the truth about her being from a different world and why she was there, Alyx believed her and told her that they were still friends.

"I'll have a shower before dinner, you making?" Alyx asked walking towards the stairs "yep, we're having toasted sandwiches" Iaf replied "cool can't wait" Alyx said before disappearing from view.

Iaf looked out at the setting sun and sighed "guys where are you? I don't know how I ended up here before you but please get here soon, I miss you all" she said to herself before going to the kitchen to start dinner.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Fai, Kurogane, Syaoran and Sakura looked around there new house, it was a two story with the kitchen and dining area down stairs and the rest up.

Up stairs, there were four rooms with 1 bathroom and a hallway closet, and each room her there one walk-in closets, there was also a living area.

Once everyone had settled they were in the living area relaxing "is it alright to be this relaxed, someone could be spying on us" Kurogane asked "hmm, but you can't be tense every minute of the day, you should loosen up once in a while" Fai replied cuddling up to his coat.

"Your way too relaxed!" Kurogane shouted.

"So, now that we have a place to stay, Mokona?" Fai asked as Sakura fell asleep behind the white bun on the couch "although it's very faint, I can sense the power of Sakura's feather. There is a feather in this country" Mokona replied.

"So I guess we're staying here" Kurogane said "we would be staying here weather there was a feather or not" Fai stated, Kurogane gave him a confused look "Fai-san's right, we still have to find Iaf-san" Syaoran added "oh yer the brat" Kurogane replied.

Suddenly a huge beast crashed through the window "what the?!" Kurogane shouted jumping back with the princess in his arms.

"Wow, we just moved in and there's already an unexpected guest" Fai chirped "we didn't invite you to come here, you know" Kurogane told the beast.

The beast was big and black and weirdly shaped "what is it?" Sakura asked, Fai shrugged "I don't know" he replied, the beast swung its arms out towards Syaoran and Fai who dodged them, the beast attacked Syaoran again and hit him in the arm, Syaoran kicked the monster in the head sending it flying to the ground with a horrible cry.

"good job" Fai cheered "a reception full of cute girls and a beautiful home for us. I thought this was a friendly country, but it's pretty dangerous too" he added sighing.

The beast suddenly disappeared "it disappears?" Syaoran exclaimed "this it indeed a dangerous country" Fai said.

"Anyway we should get some sleep" Fai said sitting on the ground "I'll stay awake and keep lookout more of those things" Kurogane replied "aw, how sweet thanks Kuro-rin" Fai teased "shut up! You can go next!" Kurogane snapped putting Sakura on the couch and Syaoran sat against it "sleep well hime" he said.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"Hey Iaf, let's not hunt for long, I want to go to a club" Alyx said finishing her dinner, Iaf looked up form where she was "you want me to use elemental illusion again don't you?" Iaf asked, Alyx grinned "of course, you know you loved the look on everyone's face when they saw us dancing with fire, it was hilarious" Alyx said laughing, Iaf's mouth twitched as she tried not to laugh "okay, fine we'll go to the club tonight" she said giving up "well lets go hunting now then we can go clubbing earlier" she added grabbing her crossbow "sure" Alyx said grabbing her swords, Iaf checked the street as Alyx locked up "let's go this way" Alyx said pointing to the left, Iaf closed her eyes for a while before walking off to her right "okay, I guess we're going that way" Alyx said following Iaf, a few minutes later Iaf and Alyx stopped as three Oni appeared "aww, odd number I guess you take two of them" Alyx said charging at one, Iaf sighed and turned to an oni that was charging at her "_ice_" she said, flicking her hand towards the oni a shard of ice flew out of her hand hitting the oni in the chest instantly in casing it in ice "_shatter_" Iaf closed her hand into a fist and the ice shattered taking the oni with it, Iaf turned to the other oni and shot a fire arrow at it completely incinerating it.

"Done" Iaf said emotionlessly, Alyx hit her oni in the head with her swords together, killing it "me too"

"well we should go clubbing now" Iaf said "but we only took out three oni" Alyx complained "Yes but the oni I took out were Ro-3 and Ha-1, the one you took out was a Ha-4 so we'll have lots of money for that" Iaf explained, Alyx grinned "yes, now we can stay clubbing for a while let's go" Alyx cheered running down the street, Iaf smiled "_fire burst_" she said as she walked after Alyx, fire raised sky high around the oni that just appeared "geez, I think people on the other side of the world could see that fire" Alyx told Iaf when she caught up to Alyx "well I know everyone in this country definitely saw it" Iaf replied smirking, Alyx laughed and dragged Iaf to the nearest club.

When they entered a club Alyx immediately went to the dance floor, Iaf rolled her eyes and sat down in a booth, watching the way Alyx moved Iaf made up the movements for her illusion "_water illusion_" she whispered and watched as streamers of water floated around Alyx, Iaf smirked as she heard people gasp "I really shouldn't do this because I can't let people know me having magic" she whispered to herself, suddenly a hand grabbed her arm and pulled her onto the dance floor "come on Mythical, let's dance" Alyx said letting go of Iaf's arm, Iaf sighed and shook her head in defeat "_fire illusion_" she whispered to herself before she started to dance.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Syaoran woke up the next morning to find Fai and Kurogane already up "morning" he said to the two, Kurogane grunted while Fai fake smiled "good morning Syaoran-kun, I was about to go to city hall to talk about what happened last night would you like to join me?" Fai asked, Syaoran nodded "sure" he replied and Mokona jumped on his shoulder "Mokona coming too" he said "oi, I don't know if it means much but last night I saw this huge fire pillar come out of nowhere a few blocks away so be careful, who knows what else will come out to surprise us" Kurogane told them "aww, Kuro-tan is worried about us" Fai teased "no I'm not!" Kurogane growled "let's go Syaoran-kun" Fai said walking to the door "right" Syaoran said following.

When they arrived at City Hall they went over to the lady they met yesterday "hello" Fai sad cheerfully.

"Hello, last night you were quite active weren't you? You earned a reward" she replied "huh?" Syaoran wondered.

"Didn't you defeat an oni?" the lady asked.

"That thing has disappeared, how do you know that?" Fai replied.

"It is City Hall job to keep track of the whereabouts of the oni's"

"Is that so?" Fai asked.

"Yes"

"This so called oni, what kind of thing is it?" Syaoran asked.

"Onis are the enemies that appear in Otou Country. We must defeat them. They usually appear at night, but some appear during the daytime. Their power is affected by the phases of the moon. When the moon waxes, their power strengthens. When the moon wanes, their power weakens" the lady explained.

"Those things seem to be everywhere, but you are not worried at all" Fai said with his usual grin "that's because oni do not usually attack civilians" the lady replied "we have pros to take care of them. These people are called 'oni hunters'. They earn money by defeating onis. The more powerful the oni you've defeated is, the more money you earn. The oni you defeated is class 'ha' level 5, I believe you have the capability to be an oni hunter, do you want to give it a try?" she asked.

"This compares to other jobs…" Fai wondered "you can earn money very quickly" the lady replied.

"Syaoran-kun, what do you think?" Fai asked Syaoran "is this job good for collecting information? I'm looking for something, that's why I would like to find a job that allows me to gather all kinds of information" Syaoran told the lady.

"Then being an oni hunter will be perfect for you, you can get inside information from other oni hunters. Also, there are places only oni hunters can enter. But, this profession is very dangerous" she replied.

"We will do it" Syaoran said.

"Okay, oh oni hunters must be a team of two people. And there can only be one team of oni hunters in a group, who do you want to team up with?" the lady asked.

"It will have to be Kuro-sama of course" Fai piped up "we haven't even asked Kurogane-san yet…But…" Syaoran started "Sakura-chan won't do it and Mokona can't so Kuro-sama can do it, beside you know he'll like it" Fai told him "what about you?" Syaoran asked, Fai turned to the lady "is there a job where I can gather lots of information and pays well?" he asked "yes there is" she replied "well I'll take it" he said.

"Come on move it!" someone shouted from behind them, Fai and Syaoran turned around to find Alyx facing away from them shouting out the City Hall's door "hey she's one of the famous oni hunter team" they heard someone whisper "yer I heard that her partner can take out three 'ro' level 1's in ten seconds somehow and has never been injured by an oni and they only became oni hunters two weeks ago" another whispered back, Fai and Syaoran watched as Alyx rolled back and forth on her feet for a little while before shouting again "hurry up slow poke!"

"SHUT UP!" a voice echoed around the place before Iaf came in view in her magical disguise so she now had brown hair and green eyes "thanks to you I was up late dancing at that club and you woke me up way to early to come and get our reward from killing those oni last night when you could have done it yourself, so you wait in line, no pushing, and let me sleep" she growled and planted herself on one of the benches after throwing the money badge to Alyx "okay" she replied and ran over to where Syaoran and Fai were standing shocked.

"Um, excuse me, but are you in line?" Alyx asked them, they snapped out of their daze "uh yes sorry" Syaoran said, Alyx grinned "that's okay"

Fai turned to the lady "now about that job…"

Iaf lay down and began to drift off, she was almost asleep when Alyx shouted "wow! Really? Please let us help!"

Iaf's eye twitched and she stood up and whirled around to where she heard her voice "Alyx, I'm going to kill you, I was almost asleep. You should know how cranky I get when I'm deprived of my sleep!" she shouted "yer but this guy is starting a café and I want to help set it up, please Iaf, please please please please please please please please!"

"Alright! But only if he think its okay" Iaf said before walking out of City Hall.

Alyx's eyes sparkled, she whipped around to face Fai and gave him the best puppy dog eyes she could do "please let me and Iaf-chan help set up your café, pleeeeeaaaase" she begged, Fai laughed at her big puppy dog eyes "if you would like to, then you may but we won't start setting up until later so come around about…"

"We'll come in 2 hours" Alyx claimed "okay that'll do, now for where the café is…" Fai said "just circle" Alyx told him, pulling out her map and laying it at his feet "okay" he took the texta from Alyx and circled the café "there you go" Fai said, Alyx packed away her map "now for my money" she grinned evilly and before Fai and Syaoran could blink Alyx was at the counter behind them "my oni reward please" she told the lady.

"okay, you took out were a 'ha' level 1, a 'ha' level 4, a 'ro' level 1 and a 'ro' level 2"the lady told Alyx "huh a 'ro' level 2 as well, how… oh yer, Iaf's fire burst last night" Alyx said as she remembered the extra oni "here you go" the lady said handing the badge to Alyx "thanks" she turned to Fai and Syaoran "see you later" she said cheerfully before running out of the hall to find Iaf "hey Fai-san, didn't Kurogane-san say something about a fire pillar last night? Do you think they could be the same thing?" Syaoran asked, Fai shrugged "I don't know but I didn't expect to ever see another worlds version of one of us" he said as they walked out of the Hall.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"Well…" Iaf asked when Alyx caught up to her "we are going to the café in two hours to help out" Alyx replied "great that means I have to put my disguise on when we go because that's how these people know me" Iaf complained "look on the bright side at least you have two hours sleep" Alyx said as they turned down their street "yes but I can't see a thing with my eyes like this you know that" Iaf told her "well keep your eyes the same, I doubt they took any notice of your eyes anyway" Alyx reassured her "you'd be surprised" Iaf replied and walked through the front door "hey I thought I locked it" Alyx said "you did" Iaf replied before walking up-stairs.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"We are back!" Syaoran and Fai said at the same time when they entered the house.

Fai walked over to Kurogane and bended down in front of him "did Kuro-woofy stay at home like a good doggie?" he asked patting Kurogane's head "I told you! Don't call me like your calling a dog!" Kurogane shouted "hey, we have decided on our jobs" Fai told him "oh?"

"Syaoran-kun and Kuro-woofy will defeat oni to earn money" Fai said, Kurogane turned his head towards Syaoran "kid explain" he ordered "alright" Syaoran said, Fai watched as Syaoran started to explain, he swiveled around and hung his head "ow, Kuro-woofy, doesn't care about me anymore!" he said dramatically "stop this nonsense already!" Kurogane shouted and listened as Syaoran explained.

"I see" Kurogane said grinning after Syaoran finished explaining "oni hunter, eh? Sounds interesting"

"Kurogane looks excited" Mokona said "see?" Fai whispered to Syaoran "yeah" Syaoran whispered back.

"But will you be okay?" Kurogane asked Syaoran "eh?" Syaoran questioned "we don't know how powerful these 'oni' things are yet. But there are people that specifically deal with them and they are paid to do it. That means this job isn't for amateurs, you…your right eye can see anything" Kurogane said, Fai's eyes widened in wonder and shock.

"The first time I saw you fight, you used a Kudan, kudans are controlled through mind power. Even if your eyes can't see, it wouldn't be a problem. And then in the country of Koryo when we arrived the lord's son grabbed the princess's arm. You didn't show any sign that you saw it, but when the lord's son hurt the princess and showed the murderous aura. If you didn't attack right away, he might have even used his whip to harm the princess. Precisely because you couldn't see, you reacted only to the murderous aura. You made the first move and knocked him down. And then it's the oni yesterday. When it attacked from the right, your reaction was a bit slow. If the opponent is an even more powerful oni, it won't be just a scratch or two" Kurogane told him.

"I will try not to cause you any trouble, please" Syaoran said bowing.

"Kuro-sama, isn't that okay?" Fai asked "humph" Kurogane said, but didn't reject him "thank you" Syaoran said and looked over at Sakura who was still asleep on the couch.

"Kuro-tan you have to help me set up the bar and come shopping with us to by clothes and stuff" Fai said smiling, Kurogane scowled but didn't say anything, Fai looked over at the clock "on no! We only have an hour and a half to get everything we need" Fai complained "why?" Kurogane asked "because we have guests coming who are helping us set up" Fai replied "who?" Kurogane asked "a famous oni hunter team" he replied.

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	7. Chapter 7

"Come on Iaf hurry up" Alyx shouted from down stairs "yer yer, shut up" Iaf said coming down the stairs "why are you wearing your work uniform?" Alyx asked when she saw Iaf "I have to 'cause I have to work in an hour and a half" Iaf replied "right, well let's go then or we'll be late" Alyx said walking to the door, Iaf sighed and followed.

When they arrived Alyx slammed the door open making everyone jump "we have arrived!" she said dramatically "no shit, I think next door know that now" Iaf said walking past Alyx and into the café, hitting Alyx up-side the head on the way "we're hare to help but I have to leave in an hour and a half" Iaf said "hello again" Alyx said to Fai and Syaoran "ah, yes welcome, my name is Fai and this is Syaoran-kun and Kuro-tan" Fai said introducing the others, Iaf gasped slightly but Alyx heard it "Iaf is something wrong?" she asked while Kurogane shouted at Fai.

"Nothing don't worry about it" she whispered.

"Okay, well now that we know your names its only fair you know ours, I'm Alyx and this is Iaf and we are the 'mysterious duo' oni hunters and sorry that Ia-chan here is wearing her work clothes but she has to go to work soon" Alyx said, Kurogane's jaw dropped when he heard Iaf name "now that we know each other can we get to work?" Iaf asked "sure, we haven't done anything yet so I guess we'll start by…"

"Mopping!" Alyx shouted, Iaf hit her forehead 'how do I know this person?' she thought to herself "well okay, we haven't done that and I suppose it is a good idea to mop before putting out the table and chairs, so mopping it is" Fai said.

Everyone started mopping the floors, Iaf decided four was enough to mop so she wiped the windows then the counter, after fifteen minutes Iaf lost "argh! I'm so bored! It's louder in a cemetery then here, do you guys have a radio?" she asked, all she got was confused looks "what's a radio, Iaf-san?" Syaoran asked "noooooooo!" Iaf shouted in despair "calm down, Ia-chan I brought my portable" Alyx said with a smile, she thought it was funny when Iaf was down in the dumps, so to speak "really?" Iaf asked "yep, see" Alyx said and pulled out a little rectangular box, Iaf went over to it and turned it on to a music station "there we go" she said and went back to work, after around half an hour the had done the floor, the windows and the counter "well that was a lot of work its self" Alyx said, Iaf nodded and sighed "can I please have some tea?" she asked Fai who nodded "of course" he said and left to get the tea ready.

Once Fai came back with the tea Alyx helped Kurogane and Syaoran bring in some tables "wow, these things are heavy" she commented as she pulled the table along, Kurogane snorted "well aren't you used to heavy lifting?" he asked sarcastically "well I don't exactly have to carry oni" Alyx replied, Iaf sighed and walked over to the table and dragged it along "hurry up, we're here to help not argue" she said as she let go of the table, leaving it where it was and went to grab another, after twenty minutes Fai came out of the kitchen and told them lunch was ready.

Everyone sat at the table and started eating, after a few minutes of silence Fai spoke "so Alyx-san, Iaf-san how did you two become oni hunters?" he asked, Alyx looked at Iaf who nodded "well, I was already looking for a partner when I met Iaf two weeks ago, she was passed out on the ground and I took her home and looked after her until she regained consciousness, which she did the next day and I asked her to be my roommate and oni hunting partner and she said yes to both" Alyx explained, the guys looked a bit surprised "is it true that you have never been injured by an oni, Iaf-san?" Syaoran asked, Iaf looked up with a scowl "I see people have been talking again, no it's not true. When I started out as an oni hunter I was always injured by them, but now I never am because they never get the chance before they die" Iaf replied, the guys were a bit surprised by her response but didn't show it.

They kept talking for a while before Iaf screamed "I'm late!!" everyone watched as she jumped out of her chair and ran towards the door.

_**Thud!!!**_

"The door's a little to the left, dear" Alyx said taking a sip of her tea, Iaf whirled around from the wall she ran into, holding her nose and glaring at Alyx "shut up, its not my fault that I'm blind" she growled, Alyx put her cup down "yes but usually you can sense a wall in front of your face" she teased "well sorry if I had other things on my mind like not being late for work" her eyes widened "I'm late for work!" she shouted before running out the door this time.

"Alyx-san, what did Iaf-san mean by being blind?" Syaoran asked "well…" Alyx said thoughtfully "sometimes her eye sight completely fails her for some reason, so she has to sense where things are. It's kinda cool when you realize she's blind" Alyx told them "well I hope you don't mind but I have to go, I got to do some shopping then go home to get ready to oni hunt" Alyx said standing up "not at all thank you for yours and Iaf-san's help" Fai said "oh no prob, I needed to get Iaf out of the house because she mopes around when she thinks I'm not around, oh and don't tell her I told you this but some night I hear her talking to her self, she looks out the window and asks for some people to hurry up and arrive because she misses them, I don't like it when she's sad so I just needed something to get her mind off it, well bye" Alyx said and ran off out the door, leaving the others sitting there with their jaws dropped.

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Iaf entered the bar with her disguise off as usual and greeted Caldina "I'm here" she said "great do you think you could help with the chairs?" Caldina asked, Iaf sighed "sure" she replied and started putting chairs down.

A few minutes later Caldina called her over "yes?" Iaf asked when she sat on the stool in front of Caldina "can I ask you a big favor?" Caldina asked, Iaf looked at her confusedly but nodded "can you sing here tomorrow night and the night after that? Please" Caldina begged, Iaf was shocked "wha-what made you ask _me _this?" she asked slightly nervous "well Alyx was here a few days ago and she mentioned that you had an amazing voice and then today our singer that usually goes after Oruha-san fell sick so she can't perform tomorrow or the day after, so please Iaf-chan please help" Caldina begged "but I've only sung at home where no one was watching" Iaf replied "I've heard you sometimes humming or singing to yourself while you work" came a voice from behind Iaf, she turned around to see Oruha closing the bar door "Oruha-san, nice to see you again" Iaf said a bit embarrassed with what Oruha had said "nice to see you too Iaf-san, now about that favor, you do have a good voice I've heard you sing and sometimes even when you talk normally your voice has a musical charm to it so I recon you should do it, hon" Oruha encouraged "really?" Iaf asked, Oruha nodded "absolutely, hon" she replied, Iaf thought over it for a bit 'well I know that Fai and Kurogane come here but its not tonight or tomorrow night, I think it's the night after that so there's a chance that they might be here when I have to sing, but I don't want them to be here when I do… okay I'll do it. I just hope they won't show up'

"I'll do it" Iaf said turning to Caldina who grinned "thank you so much Iaf" she said "oh and you also have to pick out your own songs, but just pick out something about love or rather something like that cause that's what people want to hear apparently" Caldina added "o-okay" Iaf said, a bit nervous.

"Great, well continue on with your work" Caldina told her before going into the back room, Oruha following behind her.

"Do you think this will work?" Caldina asked once she closed the door "I hope it does, Iaf-san's a good friend and after Alyx came in and told us she's been down in the dumps lately, I would like to help her" Oruha said sitting on a chair "yes but is it going to work? That's the question" Caldina replied "I guess it is, why did you ask her to sing love songs?" Oruha asked, Caldina peeked through the door at Iaf who was wiping down a table "well Alyx said she's been waiting for some people right? Well my guess is, if she's been waiting this long it she must have some kind of love for them so maybe singing about that love will help" Caldina explained "I think you may be right" Oruha replied.

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Alyx was walking towards the house when she crossed paths with Nekoi "hey Alyx!" Nekoi called, Alyx smiled and waved back "hey Nekoi how are you?" she asked "good, hey I wanted to ask if you and Iaf wanted to team up with me and Kusanagi tonight?" Nekoi replied, Alyx smiled "yer sure, we would love to, so are we going to meet up out there?" Alyx asked, Nekoi nodded "yep just come and find us" she said "we'll see you tonight" Nekoi added before running off "see ya" Alyx called out after her.

When she got to her house she entered and went to have a shower.

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Sakura woke up to the scent of tea and sat up to see the guys working on the café "you woke up?" Syaoran asked "uhh, huh?" Sakura wondered confused "ew used the money that we got for defeating the oni last night to prepare all of this, we also changed into this country's clothes" Fai old her "But I wonder what's that thing Kuro-ron is wearing?" he wondered "this is a hakama" Kurogane told him, Syaoran looked up at Kurogane "Kurogane-san, does the clothes in your country look like this?" he asked "yea more or less" Kurogane replied "and what are you wearing?" he asked Fai "these are the clothes I should wear for my job, I want to open café here. We can gather al kinds of information this way, that's what the lady from city hall said" Fai replied "Mokona wants to do this too!" Mokona shouted from Fai's shoulder "let's start this café together Sakura-chan" Fai said bowing to Sakura "okay, I've never done this before, but I will work very hard" Sakura replied "alright lets hurry up and get changed then" Fai said holding a big sack "eh?"

A few minutes later Sakura entered the room wearing a long sleeved dress that reached just below her knees, she also had a cute little apron and bonnet on. Sakura walked over to Syaoran "is this strange?" she asked him, Syaoran shook his head with a little blush on his face "is Syaoran-kun doing this as well?" Sakura asked "no, Kurogane-san and I will be doing other work" Syaoran replied "be careful and don't get hurt" Sakura said, Syaoran's eyes widened before he smiled "yeah" he said.

Mokona's eyes grew wide and Mokona spat out a plate with food on it "what are these?" Fai asked "these are from Yuuko" Mokona replied "are these for free?" Fai wondered "no way would that witch give anything out for free" Kurogane stated "but they look delicious" Fai complained "these are chocolate custards! There is chocolate inside, so you should eat it while its hot!" Mokona explained "good timing! Everyone let's eat!" Fai said handing out the tea he just made.

"I don't want it" Kurogane stated glaring at the present from Yuuko, Fai picked some up on fork and before anyone could blink he shoved it in Kurogane's mouth, an eerie silence fell over the group before Kurogane snapped "what the hell are you doing?!" to Fai who was already eating the chocolate custard "Kurogane ate it! I must tell Yuuko!" Mokona shouted and Kurogane jaw dropped.

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Iaf entered the house as she dropped her shoe at the door "Alyx? I'm home!" she shouted "cool, dinner's on the table then get ready, oh and tonight we're joining up with Nekoi and Kusanagi, is that okay?" Alyx asked from up-stairs "yea, sure" Iaf shouted back and went over to her dinner.

After dinner Iaf went up-stairs and put on her black outfit she got in Tokyo (she was wearing it under the clothes she wore in Jade country) and tied her hair up in a ponytail and grabbed her crossbow, putting it into its holster at her hip, on the other side was the bag Yuuko gave her back in Koryo "all set" she said o herself before walking back downstairs, when she entered the lounge room she saw Alyx in her oni hunter outfit (she picked it herself) "so where are we meeting Nekoi and Kusanagi?" Iaf asked "wherever we find them" Alyx replied, Iaf sweat dropped "you didn't set a meeting place?" she asked, Alyx shook her head "nope Nekoi said just come and find us so that's what we are going to do" she replied "fine" Iaf said sighing "let's go find them then" she said and walked out the door "Iaf, wait!" Alyx called out and ran after her closing the door on her way out.

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"That bastard actually stuffed it into my mouth!" Kurogane complained as he and Syaoran were wondering around looking for oni "but its very good isn't it?" Syaoran asked, Kurogane scowled "oni only appear at night, eh?" he asked ignoring Syaoran's question.

"yes, according to the people from city hall, many oni appear in the nearby small lanes" Syaoran replied looking at his map.

Suddenly a bunch of oni jumped out at them "so they are here" Kurogane said as Syaoran ran towards them he swung his leg around, kicking some of the oni "you use kicks is it because of your eye?" Kurogane asked "yes, its very easy to confuse the distance if I use my hands, if I use my feet to kick its less likely for me to miss" Syaoran explained "did you invent it yourself?" Kurogane asked "no someone taught me when I was small" Syaoran said, he looked over at Kurogane and his eyes widened when he saw some oni jump at Kurogane from behind, Kurogane smirked and before Syaoran could speak Kurogane whirled around and sliced the oni to bits "ah! You already took care of them!" Kurogane and Syaoran looked up at where the voice came from, Nekoi and Kusanagi were standing on the roof looking down at them "they were supposed to be our prey!" Nekoi said.

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"Iaf let's check this way" Alyx suggested pointing down the street "they are this way" Iaf replied "and how do you know that?" Alyx asked "I used my magic to locate them" Iaf lied "oh, lets go that way then" Alyx said walking down the way Iaf pointed.

A little while later Alyx stopped and looked at a building "Iaf let's take a detour" she said and before Iaf could refuse Alyx grabbed her and ran towards the building "w-wait my disguise-" Iaf tried to say but Alyx opened the door and walked in "wow, this looks much better then when we left it, oh Nekoi, Kusanagi there you are we've been looking for you" Alyx said as Iaf tried to stay hidden behind "oh Alyx, you have to try these they are delicious" Nekoi said "what wrong with Iaf-chan?" she asked noticing Iaf trying to stay out of view "don't know, oh hi Fai-san, Kurogane-san and Syaoran-kun how are you guys?" Alyx asked "good thank you and how are you Alyx-san?" Fai replied "peachy" Alyx said "would you like to try one of the cakes Alyx-san?" Fai asked "yay, cake" Alyx sang and ran over to the counter leaving Iaf defenseless without her disguise on and in front of three people who saw her as a blond less then twelve hours ago "ah, hi" Iaf said, everyone looked at her "hey Iaf, finally decided to stop hiding huh? Did you get a shy streak?" Kusanagi asked "n-n-no!" Iaf replied "well come and join us then" Nekoi said, Iaf walked over to them and sat on a stool "would you like a cake Iaf-san?" Fai asked leaning towards her, Iaf looked up and blushed at how close he was "n-n-no th-thank you" she replied "Iaf-san?!" Sakura said, Iaf looked at her and smiled "hi, what's your name?" she said, Sakura looked down before she replied "I'm Sakura, nice to meet you"

"Hey you guys just arrived to Otou country, right?" Nekoi asked "yes we arrived yesterday" Sakura replied with a smile "those so called oni broke into our home right after we moved in, that really took us by surprise. When the girl in the city hall explained to us about the oni, she mentioned something about the class of a oni…"

"yep, the power of oni is divided into seven classes. 'I' is the most powerful, followed by 'Ro', 'Ha', 'Ni', 'Ho', 'He' and 'To' in descending order. Within each class they are further divided into five levels. For example, class 'ho' level 1 is the strongest of the 'ho' oni, class 'ho' level 5 is the weakest 'ho' oni" Nekoi explained "that means the strongest ones are 'I' level 1" Syaoran said "yep! Everyone's is training hard everyday so that they can defeat a 'I' level 1 oni someday" Nekoi said "but we all know that Iaf could kick that oni ass right now, I mean you've seen her fight even without her weapon she's brilliant at hand to hand combat" Alyx gloated "well I had a great teacher" Iaf said quietly, she touched her lips and remembered when she left the world and blushed "oh Iaf do you like this teacher of yours?" Alyx teased "no…maybe I don't know, I've already been told I've got a strong love for somebody but I think the longer I wait, the smaller it gets" Iaf said, Fai and Kurogane sharpened their hearing when they heard this "is that person the one your waiting for to come?" Alyx asked "how do you know that?" Iaf asked back "I sometimes hear you at night speaking to the night sky telling someone or some people to hurry up and get here cause you miss them" Alyx explained "well talk about this later" Iaf replied, Nekoi's dog suddenly looked up and sniffed "another oni nearby!" Nekoi said "he can sense the presence of oni" she told Sakura "yay let's go" Alyx cheered "thanks for the food Fai-san"

"yes thanks for the treat" Kusanagi agreed "it was super delicious" Nekoi said "it was nice" Iaf added quietly "how much is it?" Kusanagi asked "its on the house, come back and tell us more things okay?" Fai replied "yeah we'll definitely come back" Kusanagi told him "see ya" Nekoi waved to Sakura "bye" Sakura said waving back "see you guys later!" Alyx sang and ran out the door after Nekoi and Kusanagi, Iaf waited a bit "Iaf-san?" Fai wondered "umm, you guys aren't from this world are you?" she asked, they gave surprised looks before Syaoran spoke up "no we aren't, who did you know?" he asked "well about two months ago I met a girl that looked exactly like me only with longer hair, she told me that a group of four people would appear here from another world and would build a café, she asked me to hand this to you" Iaf pulled out a letter that she had written earlier today, Kurogane took it and Iaf bowed before running out of the café "Iaf was here two months ago?" Sakura asked "but how?" she added "I don't know Sakura-chan, Kuro-tan what does the letter say?" Fai asked turning to Kurogane who started to read the letter out loud

"Dear Sakura-chan and boys,

I know that you might be a bit confused about what this worlds me said, but that's not what matters. Be careful I lot of crazy things are going on in Otou while your reading this and its because of Sakura's feather, someone has it. I can't tell you the name but I can tell you that he's strong even without the feather, you won't get the feather in this world but you will get it later. I will come back to this world before you leave so don't worry about me cause I'm fine, just look for the feather and everything will become clear, Iaf Aros" Kurogane finished "what the hell?" he said "what does she mean by we won't get this worlds feather but we'll get it later?" Fai asked "I don't know but Iaf-san said everything will become clear if we continue looking for the feather" Syaoran said "then that's what we'll do" Fai said.

"Wait, where's Mokona?"

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"What took you so long Ia-chan?" Alyx asked when Iaf caught up to them "I just had to tell them something, that's all" Iaf replied "oh okay, so lets continue our chat about your teacher shall we?" Alyx asked, Iaf scowled "or we could talk about what you've been telling Caldina-san" Iaf said glaring at Alyx who laughed nervously "well I just told her the truth, you do have a good voice, so are you going to do it?" Alyx asked "do what?" Nekoi asked "one of the Clovers singers has fallen sick so Caldina asked Ia-chan here if she could take over for her" Alyx explained "oh cool! Are you going to do it Iaf-chan?" Nekoi asked, Iaf sighed "yes I'm doing it" she told them "but you can't watch me because you two are underage and not allowed in" Iaf added "oh man! Your right" Nakoi and Alyx complained "well Soma and I aren't" Kusanagi said, Iaf looked up at him "do you really want to see me sing?" she asked "well I'm sue your not that bad and plus we can take a video recorder so the young these two and Ryou can watch it" Kusanagi replied, Iaf's jaw dropped "you evil man" she said, narrowing her eyes at him "of course" he replied grinning.

"Iaf-chan, Iaf-chan!" a voice called out from behind her, Iaf turned around to see Mokona bouncing up to her "Iaf-chan!" Mokona shouted as he jumped into Iaf's arms "I missed you" he said "huh?" Iaf questioned, Mokona looked up at her face "Mokona knows your our Iaf-chan because Mokona can sense it" Mokona said, Iaf sighed "okay Mokona, you got me but don't tell the others, please" Iaf asked the white creature "alright, Mokona won't say anything" Mokona replied "thank you Mokona, but can I ask you for a favour? I need you to store my bag inside of you, can you do that for me please?" Iaf asked, Mokona nodded "okay, Iaf-chan, Mokona will look after Iaf-chan's bag" Mokona stated, Iaf smiled and hugged the creature "thank you Mokona, now you better get back before the others get worried" Iaf said letting Mokona jump to the ground and run back to the café "what was that about, Iaf?" Alyx asked, Iaf turned to her with sad eyes "nothing" she lied, Alyx opened her mouth to reply but Iaf looked away and got out her crossbow.

Suddenly a bunch of oni jumped out at them "let the battle begin" Alyx said.

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The next morning Iaf woke up with a headache "Iaf wake up! We have to go to city hall!" Alyx called out loudly "oh shut up" she complained as she slowly got out of bed, she got changed into a dress before walking downstairs "you didn't need to shout I have a headache, a big one" she growled at Alyx "oh sorry" Alyx apologized "are you ready to go?" Iaf nodded and slipped her heels on as Alyx grabbed the house keys, once outside Iaf shaded her eyes to the brightness "you going to put your disguise on?" Alyx asked, Iaf nodded "I'm going out in public I have to so I'm not noticed from our club dancing, its okay if you get noticed cause you weren't the one using the magic" Iaf said as she brought up her disguise "lets go then" Alyx said and looped her arm through Iaf's and ran to City Hall.

When they got there Alyx put her happy grin on and ran towards the woman who had two customers "Syaoran-kun, Kurogane-san!" she called out _'fuck!' _Iaf thought "Alyx-san, how are you?" Syaoran asked "good, and you?"

"Peachy" Alyx replied "what the? Didn't she have black hair last night, and come to think of it earlier that day she looked exactly like she does now. What's going on?" Kurogane asked Iaf whose mind was racing for lies "well the girl you met last night wasn't me, she was my twin sister and the only one who knows we are sisters are Alyx, Nekoi, Kusanagi and two others who you'll probably meet soon, their names are Ryou and Soma" Iaf said "Soma?" Kurogane asked "yes, Soma, now as I was saying Alyx here sometimes gets me in trouble at clubs so my sister sometimes poses as me so we can confuse people" Iaf explained "oh okay" Kurogane replied "that would explain the change in personality" Syaoran said "so what are you guys doing now?" Alyx asked "we were about to go to the intelligence house" Syaoran replied "be careful" Iaf said and walked past them to the lady "I'm here for my reward for last nights oni killings" she told the lady "badge please" Iaf handed her the sakura flower shaped badge, the lady put it on a sensor that added the money "thank you" she replied and walked out of the hall "what's wrong with her?" Kurogane asked "she has a big headache which puts her in a bad mood" Alyx replied "well I better go see ya" she added before running out after Iaf.

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Iaf walked home with Alyx silently following behind her "please stick to the story I told Syaoran-kun and Kurogane-san" she asked Alyx "uh sure, Iaf are they the ones you've been waiting for, those four?" Alyx wondered, Iaf stopped and looked at Alyx with pain and sadness in her eyes "yes they are, but now that they are here I wish they weren't cause the pain's going to come sooner now" she told her before walking around to the back of the house and sitting on her swing, Alyx walked inside and put a movie on while she played over what Iaf said in her head.

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"Yup, you knead the dough like this and you shape it like this" Fai explained, trying to teach Sakura how to make bread "we are home!" Mokona sang as Syaoran opened the door "welcome back!" Fai said "welcome back" Sakura said when she turned around with a bright smile "we are back" Syaoran replied with a smile.

Kurogane stomped past them "is Kuro-doggie still mad?" Fai asked "don't call me doggie!" Kurogane shouted back "what happened?" Sakura asked Syaoran "err, well, we went to the city hall again before we came back, Kurogane-san wanted to go to the Suguyaru department and change his registered name, but…"

_Flashback_

"_You can't" the city hall lady said._

"_If you want to change your name, please reenter the country one more. But if you do that, all the money you have earned up to now will be invalid" she told Kurogane who was standing there still as a rock._

"Ahahahaha!" Fai burst out laughing, Kurogane sapped his head around nd glared at Fai "what are you laughing at! Even the girl in the intelligence house knows about it! Why you!" Kurogane shouted chasing Fai around with his sword while Syaoran and Sakura watched, sweat dropping.

"oh and Fai-san, it turns out that the Iaf-san we met last night isn't really the Iaf-san

We met earlier that day?" Syaoran told him, Fai gave a confused look while he dodged Kurogane's blade "what d you mean, Syaoran-kun?" he asked "we'll…"

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Iaf swept the floor as people started coming into the bar "hey Iaf-san, Oruha will be on in ten, so do you want to go backstage and get ready for your song" Caldina suggested "that's okay I'll wait until she starts then go" Iaf said "okay"

A few minutes later Caldina frowned "Iaf can you watch the bar for a sec? I need to check something, is that okay?" se asked, Iaf was a bit surprised but nodded "okay, sure" she said, Caldina smiled as Iaf came behind the bar "okay, now if a costumer is being all snippy and stuff to you just tell him to wait for me to come back or get out, all right?" Caldina told Iaf who nodded.

Caldina smiled and walked out from behind the bar and walked backstage "Oruha-san, I think there's some kind of commotion outside the bar so I left Iaf in charge at the counter while I check it out but when she's finished she'll come backstage" Caldina informed Oruha "sure thing, hon. Be careful" Oruha told her "sure" she replied and walked over to the front door, she opened it to find two men outside, one of them looking injured "hey, please don't start arguing in front of my bar!" she called out to them, the one on the ground replied "sorry! We are looking for a bar named 'Clover'" he said, Caldina leaned on the bars sign "this is it" she said "here let me help you inside" she added walking over to the guy on the ground "why thank you" he said as Caldina helped him up "I'll just get the door" the other guy said and walked ahead to get the door, when Caldina and the other guy stepped into the bar Caldina shouted out to Iaf "Iaf-chan, I'll take it from here!"

The guy she was helping looked up "Iaf-chan?" he wondered "thanks, I'll be going backstage now" Iaf shouted back, not even turning to see Caldina and the two guys "alright!" Caldina called as Iaf went through the door to the backstage.

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	8. Chapter 8

14

Iaf shook her head in shock as she looked at the dress Oruha got out for her "Oruha-san that's… I can't wear that, its to beautiful"

"I want you to wear it today" Oruha replied as she held out the dress, it was a dark blue silk strapless dress, that gave a shine in the dark lighting "just try it on hon" Oruha told her as she pushed her into a changing room, Iaf looked at the dress before she started changing into it.

Once she was finished she went out and looked in the mirror "wow" she said "see, I told you it would look good, I have to sing in three minutes so I'll do your hair" Oruha said, Iaf gave her a big smile "thank you Oruha-san"

"no prob hon" Oruha replied as Iaf sat down in the chair.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"That's quiet a misfortune, how's your leg?" Caldina asked the injured person who happened to be Fai "I feel better" Fai replied "not many oni hunter can go up against a 'ro' without a weapon, come to think of it I think the only one that actually do that is Iaf-chan" Caldina explained "so those darts won't do?" Fai asked as he looked over at a couple playing darts "those darts won't do" Caldina confirmed handing Fai a drink "this is a specialty of our bar 'clover'. A cocktail called 'four-leaf clover'"

"Such a beautiful green colour" Fai chirped "so, the bartender Erii-san talked about is me?" Caldina asked "Miss bartender-"

"Caldina will be fine" Caldina said cutting Fai off "alright Caldina-san, we want to hear about the new oni" Fai told her.

"Please wait a bit, after this song finishes" Caldina said pointing to the stage Oruha just walked out onto.

_Floating beyond time _

_There's a city made of wind _

_Please dear, take me there_

_Where dreams draped in white flowers_

_Come true_

_Floating beyond time _

_There's a city made of wind _

_Please dear, take me there _

_Where dreams draped in white flowers_

_Come true_

"Such a lovely voice" Fai said as he watched Oruha sing.

_And darling in the afternoon _

_We sleep in the sun _

_And wait to a time when the hunting is done  
And then when I see you, I know in my heart  
What I've won_

_And darling in the afternoon _

_We sleep in the sun _

_And wait to a time when the hunting is done  
And then when I see you, I know in my heart  
What I've won_

"If you want to go somewhere, you can go by yourself. There's no need to ask anyone" Kurogane said, Fai smiled at him "Kuro-chan, you are the only one who would do that you know" he replied "hmm, how should I put it? Because I have been waiting too. Waiting for someone who can stay by my side…"

_Please dear, take me there_.

Everyone started clapping as Oruha finished "ah, I said things you don't like again" Fai said to Kurogane who looked at him for a few seconds before turning back to Caldina "the song's over. We should talk about the oni" he told her "aren't you an impatient one, bro?' Caldina said making a drink "they want to know about that, Oruha-san" she said sliding the drink over to Oruha who was now standing a few feet away from them "such a lovely song" Fai complimented "I'm flattered" Oruha replied "have you been singing here long?" Fai asked "yes because this is my bar, if the drink's on you, then I'll tell you about how I met the oni" Oruha told him "delighted" Fai replied.

"usually the oni in Otou never mistake a civilian for a oni hunter and attack, and the oni are usually in strange shapes" Oruha explained "oh I see, so the oni you saw is like that too?" Fai asked "no, that oni is in the form of a human being, and a very beautiful man to boot" Oruha said "that's really all I can tell you, right now"

"Oruha-san! Caldina-san!" a voice called out and everyone turned to see Alyx walking towards them "oh hi Fai-san and Kurogane-san" she added when she saw them "Oruha-san has she been on already?" Alyx asked with a pleading look in her eyes "no not yet Caldina-san is just about to go announce her" Oruha replied and Caldina walked to the stage "yay, I didn't miss her and thank you Oruha-san for letting me into the club to watch" Alyx said to Oruha "my pleasure" Oruha replied "what's going on Alyx-san?" Fai asked, Alyx turned to him "watch and find out" she replied and they all looked to the stage "attention everyone, now as you know we usually have a singer on after Oruha-san, but unfortunately she fell sick so we had to get a replacement, give it up for our very own Iaf-chan" Caldina said as everyone started clapping, Iaf stepped out onto the stage "oh my god she's gorgeous" Alyx said as Fai and Kurogane's jaws dropped, Alyx scrambled about in her bag she brought until she pulled out a video camera "unfortunately Soma and Kusanagi couldn't come so I have to get the video to show everyone" Alyx explained, Iaf stood in front of the mike and took a deep breath before she started singing…

_She never slows down_

_She doesn't know why_

_But she knows that when_

_She's all alone_

_Feels like its coming down_

_She won't turn around_

_The shadows are long_

_And she fears if she cries_

_That first tear_

_The tears will not stop raining down_

Everybody looked up when it suddenly started raining _inside _and the funny thing is nothing was getting wet "what's going on?" Kurogane growled "I don't know" Caldina replied, Alyx sighed "it's Iaf" she said "huh?"

"Iaf has magic" Alyx told them "but how there is no magic in this world" Caldina said, Fai and Kurogane glanced at each other before going back to watching Iaf sing.

_So stand in the rain_

_Stand your ground_

_Stand up when it's all crashing down_

_You stand through the pain_

_You won't drown_

_And one day what's lost can be found_

_You stand in the rain_

It was now pouring and Iaf was on the stage dancing in time to the music, the rain making her look like an angel.

_She won't make a sound_

_Alone in this fight with her self_

_And the fears whispering_

_If she stands she'll fall down_

_She wants to be found_

_The only way out is through everything_

_She__'__s running from_

_Wants to give_

_And lie down_

Iaf stomped in a puddle on the ground and the water flew around her before flying out over the crowd when Iaf moved her arms out.

_So stand in the rain_

_Stand your ground_

_Stand up when it's all crashing down_

_You stand through the pain_

_You won't drown_

_And one day what's lost can be found_

_You stand in the rain_

_So stand in the rain_

_Stand your ground_

_Stand up when it's all crashing down_

_Stand through the pain_

_You won't drown_

_And one day what's lost can be found_

_You stand in the rain_

_So stand in the rain_

_Stand your ground_

_Stand up when it's all crashing down_

_You stand through the pain_

_You won't drown_

_And one day what's lost can be found_

_You stand in the rain_

Iaf finished and all the rain stopped and vanished, Iaf opened her eyes and saw everyone stunned into silence until Alyx jumped up and clapped, Fai smiled and joined her along with Caldina and Oruha then everyone started clapping.

Iaf stood there tears brimming in her eyes as she watched everyone clap and whistle, she curtsied and walked off the stage "that was amazing!" Alyx shouted "I'm so glad I got all that on camera"

"Well I didn't imagine that but she was amazing" Fai agreed "I can't wait to see what she sings tomorrow" Alyx said "oh why don't you two come" she added turning to Fai and Kurogane "we'll have to see because I don't know if we are doing anything" Kurogane said before Fai could open his mouth.

"At least it wasn't a no, oh I hope the others can come tomorrow, Oruha-san, can Nekoi and Ryou please come into the bar tomorrow night to watch Iaf"? Alyx asked "sure thing, hon. I'll also get Iaf to do two songs" she said winking.

"Thank you" she said "I better go before Iaf catches me and tries to delete the footage" she added.

"We should go too" Fai said trying to get up, Kurogane scowled and lifted him over his shoulder "see ya" he said before walking out after Alyx.

"Oi" Kurogane said when they found Alyx outside "yes?" she asked "that wasn't Iaf-san was it?" Fai asked, Alyx looked down "yes it was"

Kurogane opened his mouth to speak when Alyx cut him off "I know what you were told this morning, but that was Iaf's sister, Iaf asked her to say that for when ever someone had seen them both, the girl in there was really Iaf" Alyx lied "okay, thank you for clearing that up, Alyx-san" Fai said, Alyx looked up at him "please don't tell them I told you" she begged "whatever, we won't" Kurogane replied, Alyx smiled softly "thank you"

"Alyx?" a voice came from behind Kurogane and Fai, they turned to see Iaf standing there with a confused look "what's going on?… what are you talking about? And why is Kurogane-san and Fai-san here?" she asked "uh…uh…" Alyx tried to come up with something "you have a lovely voice Iaf-san, the song was beautiful" Fai said saving Alyx from answering.

"You heard that?!" Iaf asked shocked as her face went redder then a tomato "yes and you were really good" Fai replied "th-thank you Fai-san" Iaf stuttered "well we better get going" Kurogane grumbled "okay have a safe trip" Iaf told them as Alyx waved.

"Come on Alyx let's go home I'm tired" Iaf said and started walking home with Alyx.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

A man watched as Syaoran and the four oni hunters battled the oni, when they defeated it he was about to leave when Iaf appeared out of nowhere "Seishiro-san!" she called out, Seishiro looked around at her before disappearing "shit" she said and watched as Fai and Kurogane returned, she nearly burst out laughing when Kurogane dropped Fai at the sight of Soma "well I better get back to the house before Alyx notices I'm gone" she said "_teleport_" she disappeared in a swirl of lights.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

The next morning Iaf woke up to find the house empty "that's weird" she said looking round, she walked to the fridge to get a drink when she found a note on it.

Dear Iaf-chan,

Just gone out for a while, I'll be back around lunch time. Don't break anything and watch the dvd on the counter and don't worry I made more copies of it.

Alyx.

Iaf put the note down and walked to the counter, she picked up the disk and walked to the lounge room.

When she put the disk in she sat down and watched as the disk started playing her singing last night "what the?" she asked as she watched as it started raining "wow, did that really happen? I didn't notice any rain but its not getting anything wet, oh no I didn't use magic did I?" Iaf asked, Iaf's jaw dropped when she watched the water fly up around her then go out when she moved her hands out "holy shit, I guess it really is my magic doing that, I just hope that it doesn't happen tonight" she said to herself and turned the tv off when the song was finished "so now I know why Alyx was at the bar but why was she with Fai and Kurogane they didn't come until… shit, I've confused it all around" she hit her head against the wall "well I can't worry about that right now, I've got research to do" Iaf walked up to her room and grabbed out her map of Otou and started thinking and circling part of the map.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Fai woke up with a bad hangover from last nights drinking "owww" he complained as he sat up "good morning! We opened our doors to let customers in but…" Sakura trailed off a bit worried about Fai "good morning Fai" Mokona chirped, Fai stood up and wobbled over to the counter "are… are you alright?" Sakura asked as Fai fell on the counter "there is this buzzing sound in my head" Fai replied "Fai has a hangover!" Mokona sang "Sakura-chan are you alright?" Fai asked for Sakura too was drunk last night "yes, I got up early and didn't oversleep this morning!" she said with a big bright smile "ah, so bright" Fai said covering his eyes "by the way where are the doggy duo?" Fai asked as Sakura handed him a drink "they went out earlier" Sakura replied "Fai-san! Sakura-chan!" A voice shouted out making Fai cover his ears.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"Ow" Syaoran complained clutching his head "no alcohol for you three from now on!" Kurogane growled "everyone was running around the house last night. I had a hard time dealing with you all. Especially those two pretending to be cats, they were roaming around the house and meowing all night long"

"er… yes…" Syaoran said sweat dropping "ah, this is it" Syaoran said looking at a shop in front of them, Kurogane walked in front of him and opened the door "excuse me!" he called out and walked to the old man sitting at the counter "I want to buy a sword" he told the man, the man turned to Syaoran "and you?" he asked "same as him" Syaoran replied bowing "you have officially registered as oni hunters, correct?" the man asked "yes our names are…" Syaoran trailed off when the man put his hand up "this sword is suitable for you" he said holding out a sword for Kurogane who took it and unsheathed it "a long sword?" he questioned "you are used to using this type of swords, aren't you? The name of this sword is 'souhi' (blue ice)" the man explained "you choosing the sword for me is no big deal but how did you know?" Kurogane asked "I've been in this business for a long time. And this customer here never used a sword before" the old man stated "yes" Syaoran replied "but I see the flame in your eye" the man added "Masayoshi-kun, bring it here"

"yes here it is" a voice said from behind I door and Masayoshi came out holding something wrapped up "Masayoshi-kun?!" Syaoran shouted before clutching his head in pain "do you know each other?" the old man asked "no…no my mistake" Syaoran said still clutching his head, Kurogane stared at Masayoshi while remembering what happened in Hanshin republic.

"This sword is not easy to use, but you might be able to use it" the old man said handing Syaoran the sword "this sword is called 'Hien' (Scarlet Flame)" the man told him as Syaoran undid the wrapping.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"Fai-san what's wrong?" Alyx asked as she watched Fai cover his ears "too loud" Fai replied "oh sorry" she said "anyway I came over to hand you this" Alyx gave Sakura a disk "what is it?" Sakura asked as Fai looked up "I'll show you" Alyx said and pulled out her portable dvd player, she grabbed the disk off Sakura and put it in, she clicked play and showed Sakura the screen "Iaf-chan?" she asked "yep, I made the disk of Ia-chan singing at Clover last night and now I'm going to find Nekoi and Ryou cause they wanted to go see her too but they weren't at the bar last night but they are coming tonight, that's for sure" Alyx said before turning to Fai "so can you come tonight, please" Alyx begged, turning on her puppy dog eyes of doom "sure I'll get Kuro-chan to come somehow" Fai replied "yay" Alyx cheered "now I have to go give out the other disks then go home and get lunch ready" Alyx added "why don't you buy one of our cakes for lunch" Sakura suggested, Alyx put on a thinking look "alright,, I don't feel like cooking so sure" Alyx said and brought a cake "well I'll see you tonight" she called out to Fai as she left.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

When Alyx returned home she looked around for Iaf who wasn't around, she entered Iaf's room and found the Otou map on her desk "huh, what's this?" she wondered picking it up, she saw that Iaf had circled an area on the map and underneath it, it said: go to tonight before singing to try and stop S. "Alyx?" Iaf called out from downstairs, Alyx put the map back and ran downstairs "Iaf-chan, I brought lunch" she said and walked to the kitchen avoiding Iaf's eyes "what did you get?" Iaf asked following behind her "one of Fai's cakes, I dropped by there on the way back" Alyx lied "I also saw Nekoi and Ryou, Soma and Kusanagi were doing something so those two were sparing when I found them" Alyx added as she got out plates "oh okay, so are Soma and Kusanagi coming tonight?" Iaf asked sitting down at the counter "yer, Nekoi told me they weren't doing anything tonight so they were going to come" Alyx replied.

After lunch Iaf told Alyx she was going to take a nap before work, Alyx nodded and went to do the laundry.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Iaf woke up a few hours later ready for work, she put on her work dress and grabbed her map, putting it in her pocket she did her hair and went downstairs to find Alyx working on something "what are you doing?" Iaf asked, Alyx jumped "oh Iaf, you scared me, nothing just doodling" she replied, covering the paper "okay well I'm off to work, I have to sing in an hour and a half" Iaf reminded Alyx "well have fun" Alyx said and Iaf went to work.

When she arrived Oruha was already there talking with Caldina "I'm here" she called out "oh Iaf-san I'm so glad you're here, I have bad news my throat is acting up today, so I'm going to have to ask if you can please do two songs today?" Oruha begged, Iaf's jaw dropped "what? B-but why?" Iaf asked "well you were great yesterday and I even got a lot of requests to hear you again, Iaf you have a beautiful voice, you shouldn't be ashamed to show it" Oruha replied, Iaf opened her mouth to reply when visions of her mothers death flashed before her eyes "I-I-I…"

"Iaf-chan?" Caldina wondered, Iaf jumped and looked up at her with teary eyes before running backstage, she sat down on one of the couches before she blacked out.

When she woke up she found herself in Afina's room "Afina?" she called out "I'm here Iaf" Afina replied and Iaf sat up to find Afina sitting at her desk "why am I here?" Iaf asked "you're here because I need to tell you why your mother died" Afina replied, Iaf's eyes widened "what do you know!?" she shouted "because it happens to all angel voice bringers" Afina told her "what do you mean?" Iaf asked "well when an person gains the angel voice the one that gave birth to the child will fall ill with the angel disease, it happens because the child will need guidance and teachings, but usually the child is much older when it happens. You case was a special one and your mother got the disease earlier so I needed to act, I told your mother about your angels voice and asked her if she was willing to become the angel that will guide you down the right track, she agreed and later that day she died to become an angel but something went wrong and she was prevented from coming back to you to teach you about your ability" Afina explained "your mother died so she could look after you forever, she does love you very much and doesn't blame you for her death, she just wants you too be happy and sing" Afina told her "okay I'll sing but for now I won't like it" Iaf replied before taking herself out of the dream.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Caldina watched as Iaf came out of the backroom "Caldina-san can I leave for a few minutes please, I have something important I need to do" Iaf asked, Caldina was surprised "but you go on I twenty minutes" she replied "and I'll be back in time" Iaf persuaded "oh alright but you better be back"

"I will" Iaf said smiling and ran out the door.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Fai and Sakura were cleaning up after closing the café "Fai, are you alright?" Mokona asked "yeah, a lot more then the last few days" Fai replied.

The door opened "welcome ba… Syaoran-kun!" Sakura shouted turning around to find Syaoran injured "Syaoran is injured all over!" Mokona shouted "another oni appeared?" Fai asked "no" Syaoran replied "I'll go and change now" Syaoran walked through the door next to the counter, Fai grabbed a little jar "Sakura-chan here, ointment for the wounds" Fai said handing Sakura the jar "thanks" Sakura replied with a worried look on her face before following Syaoran through the door.

"Training for sword-fighting?" Fai asked "weren't you drunk last night?" Kurogane asked thinking that Fai didn't even know about it "I still had some consciousness" Fai replied "such a strict teacher even on the first day"

"Because I have high expectations for the kid" Kurogane replied "but seriously, its not a good idea to rush it. Oruha-san said 'Otou's oni do not mistake civilians and attack' which means 'the oni are intentionally doing that.' The onis that are under the country's jurisdiction are called 'hunting targets'. Its quiet obvious why the city hall knows their every move. Now that I think about it, all the oni are acting very strange lately. In addition-"

"The new oni?" Kurogane asked cutting Fai off "it might have something to do with Sakura-chan's feather" Fai finished.

"we're going to have to find this new oni then" Kurogane said, Fai looked up at the clock an gasped "what?" Kurogane asked, Fai ignored him and walked to the door "Sakura-chan! Kuro-chu and I are leaving now we'll be back in a little while!" he shouted up the stairs "alright! Be careful!" Sakura shouted back "where are we going?" Kurogane asked as Fai grabbed his jacket "we're taking a trip" Fai replied grabbing Kurogane's arm and dragging him out of the café.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Alyx entered Clover and walked to Caldina who was looking worried for some reason "hey Caldina" she said "oh hi Alyx, how are you?" Caldina asked "good so whe-"

"Alyx-chan, we are here" Alyx turned around to see Fai, Kurogane, Nekoi, Kusanagi, Ryou and Soma walking towards them "hey guys, you made it" Alyx said "yea of course, we missed Iaf sing yesterday so we definitely were going to come tonight" Ryou said with a grin "so where is Iaf-chan?" Fai asked "I don't know!" Caldina complained "what do you mean you don't know?" Nekoi asked "well about ten minutes ago Iaf asked if she could leave for a little while and she promised she would be back in time to sing but I don't know where she is and I'm getting worried she goes on in ten" Caldina explained, Alyx thought for a moment "I know where she is" she said after a little while "where?" Soma asked "does anyone have a map?" Alyx asked "we do" Fai said and pulled out their map "now let's see… Iaf's here" she said pointing to the spot she saw circled on Iaf's map "but why would she go there?" Kurogane asked "well when I saw this on her map it said 'go here before singing and try and stop S.' I don't know what 'S' stands for though" Alyx told them "we are just going to have to wait and hope she gets here" Kusanagi said.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Iaf ran through the streets "okay I think it was around the corner" she said and ran around the corner before coming to a sudden stop "crap" she said, a giant oni just grabbed a civilian and the woman that was with him was screaming "_freeze" _Iaf said and grabbed out her crossbow as the oni became incased in ice, she fired a fire arrow at the oni's arm and caught the guy as he dropped.

Iaf gave the man to the woman "take care of him" she said and whiled around, glarng at Seishiro who was standing up on the clock tower "Seishiro!" she shouted angrily "what the hell do you hope to accomplish?!"

Seishiro smirked as the oni started shaking, Iaf's eyes widened and she stood in front of the couple shielding them as the oni broke free from the ice, making the ice fly outward. Iaf tried to put her shield up but she failed and the ice hit her in a few places causing a few cuts and bruises and tears in her dress "damn" she cringed and glared up at Seishiro "listen to me!" she yelled, Seishiro just turned and vanished. Iaf stood there in shock "he…he…left, THAT BASTERD!!" she yelled "he won't even listen to me! And this was my last chance without the others knowing too" she growled and turned to the oni, she lifted her crossbow and shoot a few arrows at him with the wind power infused in them making them razor sharp and cutting straight through the oni, completely destroying it "I better get back" Iaf said before running back to the bar.

When she opened the door Iaf looked over at the bar to see Caldina standing there talking with Kusanagi, Soma and Kurogane while Fai, Nekoi, Ryou and Alyx were sitting around chatting "Iaf!" Ryou shouted being the first to see her, everyone looked at her as she walked over to them "Iaf, what happened to you?" Alyx asked "oh I just had a chat with the new oni Oruha-san was talking about" Iaf replied with a smile "you met him? And he did this to you?" Nekoi asked "yes I did meet him, this was actually the second time I've met him and no, he didn't do this to me, the oni he controlled did now I have to go get changed so I'll see you later" she told them and walked backstage to se Oruha looking through dresses "Oruha-san? Why are you here?" Iaf asked setting her weapon down, Oruha turned to her "I'm finding your outfits for your songs hon" she replied "you don't have to do that" Iaf insisted "yes I don't but I would like to help so… which one for your first song?" Oruha asked holding out a few outfits "I'll take… that one" Iaf decided pointing to a white set that included a white strapless long top and white silk pants "okay, here you go" Oruha said handing her the outfit, Iaf took it and went to the change rooms.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Alyx was talking to Nekoi and Ryou about the video of Iaf she made when the lights dimmed "she's about to start" Alyx squealed and she scrambled forward for a better table "Hey, wait" Nekoi said going after her "yea, how could you forget us?" Ryou asked following behind Nekoi "aren't they energetic?" Fai asked "yes, well those four have become close friends and I think they are also becoming close friends with your two kids" Soma told him "they aren't his kids, thank god" Kurogane grumbled as Caldina walked onto the stage "ladies and gents, usually Oruha-san would take the stage but unfortunately her throat has become sore so today we have Iaf-chan doing two songs, give it up for Iaf-chan!" Caldina announced and everyone clapped and the grownups watched as Alyx and Nekoi jumped up and down in sync "wow, never know people to be that in sync before" Fai said "well they are excited" Kusanagi replied, Iaf walked out onto the stage a bit nervous "come on Iaf-chan" Nekoi and Ryou shouted as Alyx got her video camera out and sat it on the table making sure to get the whole stage, Iaf stood there and smiled when she saw Alyx, Nekoi and Ryou waving to her from the table near the stage she looked around for the others and found them sitting at the bar "figures" she whispered to herself before taking a deep breath and began to sing…

_Sparkling angels_

_I believe_

_You are my savior _

_In my time of need_

_Like the fire faith_

_A code appears_

_Hold the whispers _

_The warning are clear_

_I see the angels_

_I'll lead back to your door_

_There's no escape now_

_No mercy no more_

_No remorse cause I still remember_

_The smile when you tore me apart_

Thunder clapped and everyone looked up then back to Iaf where they saw mist rising up from the stage as she spun around, dancing in time to the music "wow, this is different from yesterday" Fai said "yea, but its weird, I don't think this is normal in this world" Kurogane added "its not" Soma replied "Iaf is the only one able to do this stuff" Kusanagi added

_**You took my heart **_

_**Deceived me right from the start**_

_**You showed me dreams**_

_**I wish they'd turn into real**_

_**You broke your promise**_

_**And made me realize**_

_**It was just a lie**_

_**Sparkling angel**_

_**Couldn't see**_

_**Your dark intentions**_

_**Your feelings for me**_

_**Fallen angel**_

_**Tell me why**_

_**What is the reason?**_

_**The thorn in your eye**_

_**I see the angels**_

_**I'll lead back to your door**_

_**There's no escape now**_

_**No mercy no more**_

_**No remorse cause I still remember**_

_**The smile when you tore me apart**_

"Do you know why Iaf chose this song?" Nekoi asked Alyx who shook her head "no"

More thunder sounds throughout the bar and a few mini tornados surrounded Iaf "wow" Ryou cheered as Iaf sang.

_**You took my heart**_

_**Deceived me right from the start**_

_**You showed me dreams**_

_**I wish they'd turn into real**_

_**You broke your promise**_

_**And made me realize **_

_**It was all just a lie**_

_**Could happen**_

_**Forever**_

_**For real**_

_**Let's see it a~ll**_

_**This world may have failed you**_

_**It doesn't care for your reason why**_

_**You could have chosen **_

_**A different path in li~fe**_

_**The smile when you tore me apart**_

Lightning struck all around Iaf making people jump out of their seats.

_**You took my heart **_

_**Deceived me right from the start**_

_**You showed me dreams**_

_**I wish they'd turn into real**_

_**You broke your promise**_

_**And made me realize **_

_**It was all just a lie**_

_**Could happen**_

_**Forever**_

_**For real**_

_**Let's see it a~ll**_

Iaf finished her song with a couple tears "that's what I felt when you left me mum" Iaf whispered and walked off the stage.


	9. Chapter 9

Iaf shook her head in shock as she looked at the dress Oruha got out for her "Oruha-san that's… I can't wear that, it's to beautiful"

"I want you to wear it today" Oruha replied as she held out the dress, it was a dark blue silk strapless dress, that gave a shine in the dark lighting "just try it on hon." Oruha told her as she pushed her into a changing room, Iaf looked at the dress before she started changing into it.

Once she was finished she went out and looked in the mirror "wow" she said "see, I told you it would look good, I have to sing in three minutes so I'll do your hair" Oruha said, Iaf gave her a big smile "thank you Oruha-san"

"No prob hon." Oruha replied as Iaf sat down in the chair.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"That's quiet a misfortune, how's your leg?" Caldina asked the injured person who happened to be Fai "I feel better" Fai replied "not many oni hunter can go up against a 'ro' without a weapon, come to think of it I think the only one that actually do that is Iaf-chan" Caldina explained "so those darts won't do?" Fai asked as he looked over at a couple playing darts "those darts won't do" Caldina confirmed handing Fai a drink "this is a specialty of our bar 'clover'. A cocktail called 'four-leaf clover'"

"Such a beautiful green colour" Fai chirped "so, the bartender Erii-san talked about is me?" Caldina asked "Miss bartender-"

"Caldina will be fine" Caldina said cutting Fai off "alright Caldina-san, we want to hear about the new oni" Fai told her.

"Please wait a bit, after this song finishes" Caldina said pointing to the stage Oruha just walked out onto.

_Floating beyond time _

_There's a city made of wind _

_Please dear, take me there_

_Where dreams draped in white flowers_

_Come true_

_Floating beyond time _

_There's a city made of wind _

_Please dear, take me there _

_Where dreams draped in white flowers_

_Come true_

"Such a lovely voice" Fai said as he watched Oruha sing.

_And darling in the afternoon _

_We sleep in the sun _

_And wait to a time when the hunting is done  
And then when I see you, I know in my heart  
What I've won_

_And darling in the afternoon _

_We sleep in the sun _

_And wait to a time when the hunting is done  
And then when I see you, I know in my heart  
What I've won_

"If you want to go somewhere, you can go by yourself. There's no need to ask anyone" Kurogane said, Fai smiled at him "Kuro-chan, you are the only one who would do that you know" he replied "hmm, how should I put it? Because I have been waiting too. Waiting for someone who can stay by my side…"

_Please dear, take me there_.

Everyone started clapping as Oruha finished "ah, I said things you don't like again" Fai said to Kurogane who looked at him for a few seconds before turning back to Caldina "the song's over. We should talk about the oni" he told her "aren't you an impatient one, bro?' Caldina said making a drink "they want to know about that, Oruha-san" she said sliding the drink over to Oruha who was now standing a few feet away from them "such a lovely song" Fai complimented "I'm flattered" Oruha replied "have you been singing here long?" Fai asked "yes because this is my bar, if the drink's on you, then I'll tell you about how I met the oni" Oruha told him "delighted" Fai replied.

"Usually the oni in Otou never mistake a civilian for an oni hunter and attack, and the oni are usually in strange shapes" Oruha explained "oh I see, so the oni you saw is like that too?" Fai asked "no, that oni is in the form of a human being, and a very beautiful man to boot" Oruha said "that's really all I can tell you, right now"

"Oruha-san! Caldina-san!" a voice called out and everyone turned to see Alyx walking towards them "oh hi Fai-san and Kurogane-san" she added when she saw them "Oruha-san has she been on already?" Alyx asked with a pleading look in her eyes "no not yet Caldina-san is just about to go announce her" Oruha replied and Caldina walked to the stage "yay, I didn't miss her and thank you Oruha-san for letting me into the club to watch" Alyx said to Oruha "my pleasure" Oruha replied "what's going on Alyx-san?" Fai asked, Alyx turned to him "watch and find out" she replied and they all looked to the stage "attention everyone, now as you know we usually have a singer on after Oruha-san, but unfortunately she fell sick so we had to get a replacement, give it up for our very own Iaf-chan" Caldina said as everyone started clapping, Iaf stepped out onto the stage "oh my god she's gorgeous" Alyx said as Fai and Kurogane's jaws dropped, Alyx scrambled about in her bag she brought until she pulled out a video camera "unfortunately Soma and Kusanagi couldn't come so I have to get the video to show everyone" Alyx explained, Iaf stood in front of the mike and took a deep breath before she started singing…

_(Stand in the rain by Superchick)_

_**She never slows down**_

_**She doesn't know why**_

_**But she knows that when**_

_**She's all alone**_

_**Feels like its coming down**_

_**She won't turn around**_

_**The shadows are long**_

_**And she fears if she cries**_

_**That first tear**_

_**The tears will not stop raining down**_

Everybody looked up when it suddenly started raining _inside _and the funny thing is nothing was getting wet "what's going on?" Kurogane growled "I don't know" Caldina replied, Alyx sighed "it's Iaf" she said "huh?"

"Iaf has magic" Alyx told them "but how there is no magic in this world" Caldina said, Fai and Kurogane glanced at each other before going back to watching Iaf sing.

_**So stand in the rain**_

_**Stand your ground**_

_**Stand up when it's all crashing down**_

_**You stand through the pain**_

_**You won't drown**_

_**And one day what's lost can be found**_

_**You stand in the rain**_

It was now pouring and Iaf was on the stage dancing in time to the music, the rain making her look like an angel.

_**She won't make a sound**_

_**Alone in this fight with her self**_

_**And the fears whispering**_

_**If she stands she'll fall down**_

_**She wants to be found**_

_**The only way out is through everything**_

_**She**__**'**__**s running from**_

_**Wants to give**_

_**And lie down**_

Iaf stomped in a puddle on the ground and the water flew around her before flying out over the crowd when Iaf moved her arms out.

_**So stand in the rain**_

_**Stand your ground**_

_**Stand up when it's all crashing down**_

_**You stand through the pain**_

_**You won't drown**_

_**And one day what's lost can be found**_

_**You stand in the rain**_

_**So stand in the rain**_

_**Stand your ground**_

_**Stand up when it's all crashing down**_

_**Stand through the pain**_

_**You won't drown**_

_**And one day what's lost can be found**_

_**You stand in the rain**_

_**So stand in the rain**_

_**Stand your ground**_

_**Stand up when it's all crashing down**_

_**You stand through the pain**_

_**You won't drown**_

_**And one day what's lost can be found**_

_**You stand in the rain**_

Iaf finished and all the rain stopped and vanished, Iaf opened her eyes and saw everyone stunned into silence until Alyx jumped up and clapped, Fai smiled and joined her along with Caldina and Oruha then everyone started clapping.

Iaf stood there tears brimming in her eyes as she watched everyone clap and whistle, she curtsied and walked off the stage "that was amazing!" Alyx shouted "I'm so glad I got all that on camera"

"Well I didn't imagine that but she was amazing" Fai agreed "I can't wait to see what she sings tomorrow" Alyx said "oh why don't you two come" she added turning to Fai and Kurogane "we'll have to see because I don't know if we are doing anything" Kurogane said before Fai could open his mouth.

"At least it wasn't a no, oh I hope the others can come tomorrow, Oruha-san, can Nekoi and Ryou please come into the bar tomorrow night to watch Iaf"? Alyx asked "sure thing, hon. I'll also get Iaf to do two songs" she said winking.

"Thank you" she said "I better go before Iaf catches me and tries to delete the footage" she added.

"We should go too" Fai said trying to get up, Kurogane scowled and lifted him over his shoulder "see ya" he said before walking out after Alyx.

"Oi" Kurogane said when they found Alyx outside "yes?" she asked "that wasn't Iaf-san was it?" Fai asked, Alyx looked down "yes it was"

Kurogane opened his mouth to speak when Alyx cut him off "I know what you were told this morning, but that was Iaf's sister, Iaf asked her to say that for when ever someone had seen them both, the girl in there was really Iaf" Alyx lied "okay, thank you for clearing that up, Alyx-san" Fai said, Alyx looked up at him "please don't tell them I told you" she begged "whatever, we won't" Kurogane replied, Alyx smiled softly "thank you"

"Alyx?" a voice came from behind Kurogane and Fai, they turned to see Iaf standing there with a confused look "what's going on?… what are you talking about? And why is Kurogane-san and Fai-san here?" she asked "uh…uh…" Alyx tried to come up with something "you have a lovely voice Iaf-san, the song was beautiful" Fai said saving Alyx from answering.

"You heard that?!" Iaf asked shocked as her face went redder then a tomato "yes and you were really good" Fai replied "th-thank you Fai-san" Iaf stuttered "well we better get going" Kurogane grumbled "okay have a safe trip" Iaf told them as Alyx waved.

"Come on Alyx let's go home I'm tired" Iaf said and started walking home with Alyx.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

A man watched as Syaoran and the four oni hunters battled the oni, when they defeated it he was about to leave when Iaf appeared out of nowhere "Seishiro-san!" she called out, Seishiro looked around at her before disappearing "shit" she said and watched as Fai and Kurogane returned, she nearly burst out laughing when Kurogane dropped Fai at the sight of Soma "well I better get back to the house before Alyx notices I'm gone" she said "_teleport_" she disappeared in a swirl of lights.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

The next morning Iaf woke up to find the house empty "that's weird" she said looking round, she walked to the fridge to get a drink when she found a note on it.

Dear Iaf-chan,

Just gone out for a while, I'll be back around lunch time. Don't break anything and watch the DVD on the counter and don't worry I made more copies of it.

Alyx.

Iaf put the note down and walked to the counter, she picked up the disk and walked to the lounge room.

When she put the disk in she sat down and watched as the disk started playing her singing last night "what the?" she asked as she watched as it started raining "wow, did that really happen? I didn't notice any rain but its not getting anything wet, oh no I didn't use magic did I?" Iaf asked, Iaf's jaw dropped when she watched the water fly up around her then go out when she moved her hands out "holy shit, I guess it really is my magic doing that, I just hope that it doesn't happen tonight" she said to herself and turned the tv off when the song was finished "so now I know why Alyx was at the bar but why was she with Fai and Kurogane they didn't come until… shit, I've confused it all around" she hit her head against the wall "well I can't worry about that right now, I've got research to do" Iaf walked up to her room and grabbed out her map of Otou and started thinking and circling part of the map.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Fai woke up with a bad hangover from last nights drinking "owww" he complained as he sat up "good morning! We opened our doors to let customers in but…" Sakura trailed off a bit worried about Fai "good morning Fai" Mokona chirped, Fai stood up and wobbled over to the counter "are… are you alright?" Sakura asked as Fai fell on the counter "there is this buzzing sound in my head" Fai replied "Fai has a hangover!" Mokona sang "Sakura-chan are you alright?" Fai asked for Sakura too was drunk last night "yes, I got up early and didn't oversleep this morning!" she said with a big bright smile "ah, so bright" Fai said covering his eyes "by the way where are the doggy duo?" Fai asked as Sakura handed him a drink "they went out earlier" Sakura replied "Fai-san! Sakura-chan!" A voice shouted out making Fai cover his ears.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"Ow" Syaoran complained clutching his head "no alcohol for you three from now on!" Kurogane growled "everyone was running around the house last night. I had a hard time dealing with you all. Especially those two pretending to be cats, they were roaming around the house and meowing all night long"

"Er… yes…" Syaoran said sweat dropping "ah, this is it" Syaoran said looking at a shop in front of them, Kurogane walked in front of him and opened the door "excuse me!" he called out and walked to the old man sitting at the counter "I want to buy a sword" he told the man, the man turned to Syaoran "and you?" he asked "same as him" Syaoran replied bowing "you have officially registered as oni hunters, correct?" the man asked "yes our names are…" Syaoran trailed off when the man put his hand up "this sword is suitable for you" he said holding out a sword for Kurogane who took it and unsheathed it "a long sword?" he questioned "you are used to using this type of swords, aren't you? The name of this sword is 'Souhi' (blue ice)" the man explained "you choosing the sword for me is no big deal but how did you know?" Kurogane asked "I've been in this business for a long time. And this customer here never used a sword before" the old man stated "yes" Syaoran replied "but I see the flame in your eye" the man added "Masayoshi-kun, bring it here"

"yes here it is" a voice said from behind I door and Masayoshi came out holding something wrapped up "Masayoshi-kun?!" Syaoran shouted before clutching his head in pain "do you know each other?" the old man asked "no…no my mistake" Syaoran said still clutching his head, Kurogane stared at Masayoshi while remembering what happened in Hanshin republic.

"This sword is not easy to use, but you might be able to use it" the old man said handing Syaoran the sword "this sword is called 'Hien' (Scarlet Flame)" the man told him as Syaoran undid the wrapping.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"Fai-san what's wrong?" Alyx asked as she watched Fai cover his ears "too loud" Fai replied "oh sorry" she said "anyway I came over to hand you this" Alyx gave Sakura a disk "what is it?" Sakura asked as Fai looked up "I'll show you" Alyx said and pulled out her portable DVD player, she grabbed the disk off Sakura and put it in, she clicked play and showed Sakura the screen "Iaf-chan?" she asked "yep, I made the disk of Ia-chan singing at Clover last night and now I'm going to find Nekoi and Ryou cause they wanted to go see her too but they weren't at the bar last night but they are coming tonight, that's for sure" Alyx said before turning to Fai "so can you come tonight, please" Alyx begged, turning on her puppy dog eyes of doom "sure I'll get Kuro-chan to come somehow" Fai replied "yay" Alyx cheered "now I have to go give out the other disks then go home and get lunch ready" Alyx added "why don't you buy one of our cakes for lunch" Sakura suggested, Alyx put on a thinking look "alright,, I don't feel like cooking so sure" Alyx said and brought a cake "well I'll see you tonight" she called out to Fai as she left.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

When Alyx returned home she looked around for Iaf who wasn't around, she entered Iaf's room and found the Otou map on her desk "huh, what's this?" she wondered picking it up, she saw that Iaf had circled an area on the map and underneath it, it said: _go to tonight before singing to try and stop S._ "Alyx?" Iaf called out from downstairs, Alyx put the map back and ran downstairs "Iaf-chan, I brought lunch" she said and walked to the kitchen avoiding Iaf's eyes "what did you get?" Iaf asked following behind her "one of Fai's cakes, I dropped by there on the way back" Alyx lied "I also saw Nekoi and Ryou, Soma and Kusanagi were doing something so those two were sparing when I found them" Alyx added as she got out plates "oh okay, so are Soma and Kusanagi coming tonight?" Iaf asked sitting down at the counter "yer, Nekoi told me they weren't doing anything tonight so they were going to come" Alyx replied.

After lunch Iaf told Alyx she was going to take a nap before work, Alyx nodded and went to do the laundry.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Iaf woke up a few hours later ready for work, she put on her work dress and grabbed her map, putting it in her pocket she did her hair and went downstairs to find Alyx working on something "what are you doing?" Iaf asked, Alyx jumped "oh Iaf, you scared me, nothing just doodling" she replied, covering the paper "okay well I'm off to work, I have to sing in an hour and a half" Iaf reminded Alyx "well have fun" Alyx said and Iaf went to work.

When she arrived Oruha was already there talking with Caldina "I'm here" she called out "oh Iaf-san I'm so glad you're here, I have bad news my throat is acting up today, so I'm going to have to ask if you can please do two songs today?" Oruha begged, Iaf's jaw dropped "what? B-but why?" Iaf asked "well you were great yesterday and I even got a lot of requests to hear you again, Iaf you have a beautiful voice, you shouldn't be ashamed to show it" Oruha replied, Iaf opened her mouth to reply when visions of her mothers death flashed before her eyes "I-I-I…"

"Iaf-chan?" Caldina wondered, Iaf jumped and looked up at her with teary eyes before running backstage, she sat down on one of the couches before she blacked out.

When she woke up she found herself in Afina's room "Afina?" she called out "I'm here Iaf" Afina replied and Iaf sat up to find Afina sitting at her desk "why am I here?" Iaf asked "you're here because I need to tell you why your mother died" Afina replied, Iaf's eyes widened "what do you know!?" she shouted "because it happens to all angel voice bringers" Afina told her "what do you mean?" Iaf asked "well when an person gains the angel voice the one that gave birth to the child will fall ill with the angel disease, it happens because the child will need guidance and teachings, but usually the child is much older when it happens. You case was a special one and your mother got the disease earlier so I needed to act, I told your mother about your angels voice and asked her if she was willing to become the angel that will guide you down the right track, she agreed and later that day she died to become an angel but something went wrong and she was prevented from coming back to you to teach you about your ability" Afina explained "your mother died so she could look after you forever, she does love you very much and doesn't blame you for her death, she just wants you too be happy and sing" Afina told her "okay I'll sing but for now I won't like it" Iaf replied before taking herself out of the dream.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Caldina watched as Iaf came out of the backroom "Caldina-san can I leave for a few minutes please, I have something important I need to do" Iaf asked, Caldina was surprised "but you go on I twenty minutes" she replied "and I'll be back in time" Iaf persuaded "oh alright but you better be back"

"I will" Iaf said smiling and ran out the door.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Fai and Sakura were cleaning up after closing the café "Fai, are you alright?" Mokona asked "yeah, a lot more then the last few days" Fai replied.

The door opened "welcome ba… Syaoran-kun!" Sakura shouted turning around to find Syaoran injured "Syaoran is injured all over!" Mokona shouted "another oni appeared?" Fai asked "no" Syaoran replied "I'll go and change now" Syaoran walked through the door next to the counter, Fai grabbed a little jar "Sakura-chan here, ointment for the wounds" Fai said handing Sakura the jar "thanks" Sakura replied with a worried look on her face before following Syaoran through the door.

"Training for sword-fighting?" Fai asked "weren't you drunk last night?" Kurogane asked thinking that Fai didn't even know about it "I still had some consciousness" Fai replied "such a strict teacher even on the first day"

"Because I have high expectations for the kid" Kurogane replied "but seriously, its not a good idea to rush it. Oruha-san said 'Otou's oni do not mistake civilians and attack' which means 'the oni are intentionally doing that.' The onis that are under the country's jurisdiction are called 'hunting targets'. Its quiet obvious why the city hall knows their every move. Now that I think about it, all the oni are acting very strange lately. In addition-"

"The new oni?" Kurogane asked cutting Fai off "it might have something to do with Sakura-chan's feather" Fai finished.

"We're going to have to find this new oni then" Kurogane said, Fai looked up at the clock and gasped "what?" Kurogane asked, Fai ignored him and walked to the door "Sakura-chan! Kuro-chu and I are leaving now we'll be back in a little while!" he shouted up the stairs "alright! Be careful!" Sakura shouted back "where are we going?" Kurogane asked as Fai grabbed his jacket "we're taking a trip" Fai replied grabbing Kurogane's arm and dragging him out of the café.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Alyx entered Clover and walked to Caldina who was looking worried for some reason "hey Caldina" she said "oh hi Alyx, how are you?" Caldina asked "good so whe-"

"Alyx-chan, we are here" Alyx turned around to see Fai, Kurogane, Nekoi, Kusanagi, Ryou and Soma walking towards them "hey guys, you made it" Alyx said "yea of course, we missed Iaf sing yesterday so we definitely were going to come tonight" Ryou said with a grin "so where is Iaf-chan?" Fai asked "I don't know!" Caldina complained "what do you mean you don't know?" Nekoi asked "well about ten minutes ago Iaf asked if she could leave for a little while and she promised she would be back in time to sing but I don't know where she is and I'm getting worried she goes on in ten" Caldina explained, Alyx thought for a moment "I know where she is" she said after a little while "where?" Soma asked "does anyone have a map?" Alyx asked "we do" Fai said and pulled out their map "now let's see… Iaf's here" she said pointing to the spot she saw circled on Iaf's map "but why would she go there?" Kurogane asked "well when I saw this on her map it said 'go here before singing and try and stop S.' I don't know what 'S' stands for though" Alyx told them "we are just going to have to wait and hope she gets here" Kusanagi said.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Iaf ran through the streets "okay I think it was around the corner" she said and ran around the corner before coming to a sudden stop "crap" she said, a giant oni just grabbed a civilian and the woman that was with him was screaming "_freeze" _Iaf said and grabbed out her crossbow as the oni became incased in ice, she fired a fire arrow at the oni's arm and caught the guy as he dropped.

Iaf gave the man to the woman "take care of him" she said and whiled around, glaring at Seishiro who was standing up on the clock tower "Seishiro!" she shouted angrily "what the hell do you hope to accomplish?!"

Seishiro smirked as the oni started shaking, Iaf's eyes widened and she stood in front of the couple shielding them as the oni broke free from the ice, making the ice fly outward. Iaf tried to put her shield up but she failed and the ice hit her in a few places causing a few cuts and bruises and tears in her dress "damn" she cringed and glared up at Seishiro "listen to me!" she yelled, Seishiro just turned and vanished. Iaf stood there in shock "he…he…left, THAT BASTERD!!" she yelled "he won't even listen to me! And this was my last chance without the others knowing too" she growled and turned to the oni, she lifted her crossbow and shoot a few arrows at him with the wind power infused in them making them razor sharp and cutting straight through the oni, completely destroying it "I better get back" Iaf said before running back to the bar.

When she opened the door Iaf looked over at the bar to see Caldina standing there talking with Kusanagi, Soma and Kurogane while Fai, Nekoi, Ryou and Alyx were sitting around chatting "Iaf!" Ryou shouted being the first to see her, everyone looked at her as she walked over to them "Iaf, what happened to you?" Alyx asked "oh I just had a chat with the new oni Oruha-san was talking about" Iaf replied with a smile "you met him? And he did this to you?" Nekoi asked "yes I did meet him, this was actually the second time I've met him and no, he didn't do this to me, the oni he controlled did now I have to go get changed so I'll see you later" she told them and walked backstage to see Oruha looking through dresses "Oruha-san? Why are you here?" Iaf asked setting her weapon down, Oruha turned to her "I'm finding your outfits for your songs hon." she replied "you don't have to do that" Iaf insisted "yes I don't but I would like to help so… which one for your first song?" Oruha asked holding out a few outfits "I'll take… that one" Iaf decided pointing to a white set that included a white strapless long top and white silk pants "okay, here you go" Oruha said handing her the outfit, Iaf took it and went to the change rooms.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Alyx was talking to Nekoi and Ryou about the video of Iaf she made when the lights dimmed "she's about to start" Alyx squealed and she scrambled forward for a better table "Hey, wait" Nekoi said going after her "yea, how could you forget us?" Ryou asked following behind Nekoi "aren't they energetic?" Fai asked "yes, well those four have become close friends and I think they are also becoming close friends with your two kids" Soma told him "they aren't his kids, thank god" Kurogane grumbled as Caldina walked onto the stage "ladies and gents, usually Oruha-san would take the stage but unfortunately her throat has become sore so today we have Iaf-chan doing two songs, give it up for Iaf-chan!" Caldina announced and everyone clapped and the grownups watched as Alyx and Nekoi jumped up and down in sync "wow, never know people to be that in sync before" Fai said "well they are excited" Kusanagi replied, Iaf walked out onto the stage a bit nervous "come on Iaf-chan" Nekoi and Ryou shouted as Alyx got her video camera out and sat it on the table making sure to get the whole stage, Iaf stood there and smiled when she saw Alyx, Nekoi and Ryou waving to her from the table near the stage she looked around for the others and found them sitting at the bar "figures" she whispered to herself before taking a deep breath and began to sing…

_(Angels by Within Temptation)_

_**Sparkling angels**_

_**I believe**_

_**You are my savior **_

_**In my time of need**_

_**Like the fire faith**_

_**A code appears**_

_**Hold the whispers **_

_**The warning are clear**_

_**I see the angels**_

_**I'll lead back to your door**_

_**There's no escape now**_

_**No mercy no more**_

_**No remorse cause I still remember**_

_**The smile when you tore me apart**_

Thunder clapped and everyone looked up then back to Iaf where they saw mist rising up from the stage as she spun around, dancing in time to the music "wow, this is different from yesterday" Fai said "yea, but its weird, I don't think this is normal in this world" Kurogane added "its not" Soma replied "Iaf is the only one able to do this stuff" Kusanagi added.

_**You took my heart **_

_**Deceived me right from the start**_

_**You showed me dreams**_

_**I wish they'd turn into real**_

_**You broke your promise**_

_**And made me realize**_

_**It was just a lie**_

_**Sparkling angel**_

_**Couldn't see**_

_**Your dark intentions**_

_**Your feelings for me**_

Iaf threw her arms out to her sides and two black feathery wings appeared "Holy hell!" Alyx said amazed "she looks amazing" Nekoi added "they look real" Ryou said and the two girls paused and looked at the wings closely, Alyx stuck her hand out and caught one of the feathers that fell off "it is real" she said holding the feather in her hands "wow" Nekoi and Ryou awed in unison.

_**Fallen angel**_

_**Tell me why**_

_**What is the reason?**_

_**The thorn in your eye**_

_**I see the angels**_

_**I'll lead back to your door**_

_**There's no escape now**_

_**No mercy no more**_

_**No remorse cause I still remember**_

_**The smile when you tore me apart**_

"Do you know why Iaf chose this song?" Nekoi asked Alyx who shook her head "no"

More thunder sounds throughout the bar and a few mini tornados surrounded Iaf "wow" Ryou cheered as Iaf sang.

_**You took my heart**_

_**Deceived me right from the start**_

_**You showed me dreams**_

_**I wish they'd turn into real**_

_**You broke your promise**_

_**And made me realize **_

_**It was all just a lie**_

_**Could happen**_

_**Forever**_

_**For real**_

_**Let's see it a~ll**_

_**This world may have failed you**_

_**It doesn't care for your reason why**_

_**You could have chosen **_

_**A different path in li~fe**_

_**The smile when you tore me apart**_

Lightning struck all around Iaf making people jump out of their seats.

_**You took my heart **_

_**Deceived me right from the start**_

_**You showed me dreams**_

_**I wish they'd turn into real**_

_**You broke your promise**_

_**And made me realize **_

_**It was all just a lie**_

_**Could happen**_

_**Forever**_

_**For real**_

_**Let's see it a~ll**_

Iaf finished her song with a couple tears "that's what I felt when you left me mum" Iaf whispered and walked off the stage.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"Was it just me or was Iaf crying through the song?" Ryou asked "yea I thought I saw that too" Nekoi replied, Alyx got up and looked over at the bar "Caldina-san, can I go back?" she asked, Caldina looked over to her and her worried face "sure, let me know how she's holding up" she replied, Alyx smiled and ran over to the door that lead backstage.

When she entered she found Iaf on the couch with her eyes closed "Ia-chan?"

Iaf opened her eyes and looked at Alyx with a small smile "hey" she said softly "Ia-chan, what's wrong?" Alyx asked "I just found out why my mum died when I was young, when the doctors didn't know what was wrong with her" Iaf replied "oh, do you need a hug?" Alyx asked with a small smile "I don't need one but I would appreciate one" Iaf replied, Alyx paused for a few seconds tying to sort through what Iaf just said before shrugging and giving her a hug "Alyx, I'm leaving soon" Iaf said "what?!" Alyx shouted leaning back "well I told you that Fai, Kurogane, Syaoran and Sakura were the ones I was waiting for so I'm going to leave with them which will be in a few days time, do w only have a few days left together before we split up and then who knows when the next time we see each other is" Iaf replied, Alyx gave a sad smile "well we can't think of it know, you need to get ready for your next song" Alyx reminded Iaf, Iaf thought over something for a minute before grinning "I'll be right back" she said and snuck out the door.

Iaf snuck over to the bar and went behind it over to Caldina, she tapped her on the shoulder "Iaf-chan!?" she said surprised, everyone turned and looked at Iaf "hi" she said "Iaf-chan are you alright?" Caldina asked "yes, I'm okay, can I ask for a favor?" Iaf asked, Caldina nodded "yea, what is it?" Caldina asked, Iaf pulled her down and whispered some stuff in her ear "hmm, well I guess that's fine" Caldina said when Iaf was finished, Iaf grinned "thanks Caldina-san" she said and jumped over the bar "no problem, but please don't jump over the bar" Caldina replied "okay, Soma-san, can you come with me?" Iaf asked, Soma gave a surprised look "sure" she said confused and walked to the back room with Iaf "what did Iaf-san need Soma for?" Kusanagi asked "just a few things" Caldina replied and went to clean some glasses "I think she was not telling us everything" Fai said "wow, didn't you state the obvious" Kurogane grumbled.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Iaf got Soma to go to the back room as she went and got Ryou and Nekoi "hey guys, come with me" she said pulling them up "wha… why?" Nekoi asked "I need your help" Iaf replied and took them o the back room where Soma, Alyx and Oruha was "Oruha-san, your back good, can you please find four more outfits, three girls and one boy" Iaf asked "sure hon." Oruha replied before walking off to find outfits "why are you getting us outfits?" Ryou asked "because you are all going to be in my next song" Iaf replied "Soma your good on piano and keyboard right?" she asked, Soma nodded "can you memorize this in five minutes?" Iaf asked handing her the sheet of music, flicking through it Soma nodded "yea sure" she replied "good, Ryou you got the drums part" Iaf told him "alright" he cheered with a grin "do you want the music or not?" Iaf asked with a smile "oh right, gimme, gimme, gimme" he said holding his hands out, Iaf laughed before handing him the paper.

"Nekoi, Alyx" the two girls stood straighter like they were in the army "you two are my backup singers, you sing the parts that are highlighted" Iaf told them as she handed them the music "roger Iaf" they said in unison as they saluted before giggling.

Four minutes later Iaf got everyone to gather around "was everyone able to memorize their parts?" she asked, Soma and Ryou nodded "we couldn't" Alyx said with a sad face, Iaf put on a thoughtful look "alright come here" she said and the two girls walked up to her, Iaf closed her eyes and put a hand on both the girls heads "_knowledge_" she said and her hands glowed "wow I know exactly what I have to do now" Alyx said with a grin "so do I" Nekoi added grinning as well "great, now we have to go on, let's do this" Iaf cheered patting down her amethyst colored dress.

"Yea" the others cheered

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^


	10. Chapter 10

"Ladies and gentlemen, singing for the last time, our very own Iaf-chan!" Caldina introduced and Iaf walked out onto the stage followed by Soma, Ryou, Alyx and Nekoi "what the…?" Kusanagi questioned confused "why are they up there?" Kurogane asked, Fai smirked "I think I know why Iaf-chan needed Soma-san know" he said and watched as Soma walked behind the keyboard "well, let's see how this turns out" Caldina said handing Oruha, who just arrived, a drink.

_(Faded by Cascada)_

_(Alyx and Nekoi singing)_

_(Faded, hated_

_Faded, hated_

_Faded, hated _

_Faded, hated)_

_**You never take**_

_**Take the time to really look**_

_**Look at the one**_

_**The one I really am**_

_**You try to fit**_

_**To fit me in a perfect box**_

_**You let me slip between the cracks**_

Little firefly lights started floating around as Iaf danced on the stage, Alyx and Nekoi swayed back and forth on the same spot as the light swirled around them. Soma laughed as some of the lights bounced up and down on the keyboard.

_**Now I've faded **_

_**Into someone else**_

_**Baby someone I don't wanna be **__(Don't wanna be)_

_**Yea I've faded**_

_**Natural colors gone**_

_**Like a picture nobody sees **_

_**I'll bet you don't**_

_**Don't even know my favorite song**_

_**You tell me how**_

_**How I should wear my hair**_

_**You wanna change**_

_**Everything I ever was**_

_**Try to erase me 'till I'm not there **__('till I'm not there)_

Iaf stood still and began to go transparent "what the…?" the guys at the bar said in unison "my I think Iaf-chan is having fun" Fai said noticing the smile on Iaf's transparent face. Ryou stared in shock at Iaf but didn't miss a beat.

_**Now I've faded **_

_**Into someone else**_

_**Baby someone I don't wanna be **__(Don't wanna be)_

_**Yea I've faded**_

_**Natural colors gone**_

_**Like a picture nobody sees **_

_**Now I've faded**_

_**Like I never was**_

'_**Till I don't even know myself **__(know myself)_

_**Yea I've faded **_

_**Into what you want**_

_**But I'm not taking it to well**_

_**I don't wanna be your little picture perfect pretty girl**_

_(Who's got nothing to say, say)_

_**I'm not gonna wait around **_

_**Let you run my whole life down so you can watch me**_

_**Fade awa~y**_

Iaf danced around as she became more solid and the lights flashed around her moving in time to her dance moves. Soma and Ryou started becoming transparent but not completely vanishing.

_(Faded hated)_

_**You tried to fit **__(To fit me in a perfect box)_

_(Faded hated)_

_**You tried to fit **__(To fit me in a perfect box)_

_**You tried to fit**_

_**To fit me in a perfect box **__(Faded, hated)_

_**You let me slip **__(let me slip x3)_

_**Between the cracks **__(between the cracks)_

The firefly light moved around Iaf and made a shape of a box with Iaf inside, then the lights fell out of shape and fell to the ground slowly as they changed colour.

Alyx linked her arm around Nekoi's and the twirled around as Soma and Ryou laughed.

Then the light shot up and out like fireworks when Iaf sung.

_**Now I've faded**_

_**Into someone else**_

_**Baby someone I don't wanna be**__ (Don't wanna be)_

_**Yea I've faded**_

_**Natural colors gone**_

_**Like a picture nobody sees **_

_**Yea I've faded**_

_**Like I never was**_

'_**Till I don't even know myself **__(know myself)_

_**Yea I've faded **_

_**Into what you want**_

_**But I'm not taking it to well**_

_**Now I've faded**_

Iaf faded out of view then flashed back the same time the lights disappeared "well that was good" Kusanagi said as Alyx, Nekoi and Ryou hugged Iaf "yes, but Iaf was a bit off when we mentioned singing but she seems fine now" Oruha told them "hmm, come to think of it I have never heard Iaf sing before the time you asked her to" Kusanagi replied "why? I thought people love to sing" Fai said, Kurogane snorted "well everyone but Kuro-grump" Fai added and Kurogane glared at him.

"Hey guys" Iaf said sitting down between Kusanagi and Fai, Soma sat in her seat while Ryou, Alyx and Nekoi sat at a table opposite the bar and fiddled with Alyx's video camera.

"Not bad guys" Caldina said handing drink out to them "thanks Caldina and thank you Oruha-san for helping with the outfits" Iaf said taking a sip of her drink "yes, thank for letting us go on stage with Iaf, Caldina it was fun" Alyx added and Nekoi and Ryou nodded "but Iaf-chan, have you told everyone about what's going to happen?" Alyx asked, Iaf looked down "no, not yet" she replied "well everyone is here, so maybe you should tell them now" Alyx told her "tell us what?" Ryou asked, Iaf sighed "I'm leaving Otou country in a few days"

"What?!" everyone but Fai, Kurogane and Oruha shouted "why?!" Nekoi and Ryou shouted "because I have to, there is a reason I just can't tell you what that reason is, come on guys trust me" Iaf explained "we do trust you Iaf" Kusanagi told her "but we do worry about you" Soma added "I know and trust me, even though I'm leaving I'll still be here" Iaf said winking, everyone looked confused and Iaf laughed "well we better go, it's getting late" Alyx said and everyone looked at her "yea I guess your right, we're going to" Kusanagi told everyone "us too" Soma said standing up "we have to get home to our kids" Fai chirped jumping up "they're not our kids!" Kurogane shouted also getting up "bye Caldina and Oruha-san!" Iaf called from the door "bye Iaf-chan, have a safe trip home" Caldina replied as Oruha waved.

Everyone left and Caldina turned to Oruha "Iaf-chan seemed happier tonight don't you think?" she asked "yes she did, but I wonder why she's leaving" Oruha replied.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

The next morning Iaf got up and went downstairs for breakfast to find that they had nothing to eat "I'm going shopping!" she shouted out to Alyx who was still in bed.

When she left the house she walked off in the direction of the shops "let's see we need bread, cereal, maybe something for dinner and some flour and I'll get the cookie mix stuff" Iaf said to herself, checking off her mental shopping list.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Fai and Sakura were out shopping "Fai-san, does your leg hurt anymore?" Sakura asked as they came out of a shop "nope, and I have this cane to support me" Fai replied "just like that thing Mokona used in that snowy country" Mokona chirped jumping on Sakura's shoulder.

"Is the stuff heavy, Sakura-chan?" Fai asked, Sakura turned around away from him "I can still carry it" she said with a determined look on her face, Fai clapped in the background "Sakura-chan is so hard working!" he cheered.

"EXTRA, EXTRA!!" a boy shouted running past them throwing newspapers in the air, Fai lifted Mokona in the air and he caught one of the papers "though we got one, we don't understand what it says" Fai said looking at the newspaper.

"Oni are attacking civilians!?" someone shouted not to far from them "what's going on!?" another person shouted "what is the city hall doing about this?!"

"Hey it says that a lone oni hunter saved the couple that was attacked last night" one of the people in the group said "it was a girl with black hair and uses a crossbow" the person added "hmm, that sounds familiar" Fai said "oh come on!" a voice shouted from beside them, Fai and Sakura turned to see Iaf standing a few feet away from them looking at one of the papers "they didn't need to add me in the paper" she said and pulled her coat around herself so people couldn't see her crossbow "Iaf-chan!" Fai called out and Iaf looked up in surprise "oh Fai-san, Sakura-chan I didn't think I would see you two around here" she said walking up to them "we had to do some shopping, so is this why you came back to the bar all banged up?" Fai asked holding out the paper, Iaf laughed nervously "yea that was me, I was going that way for something else but I had to stop the oni when I saw it attack a couple of civilians" Iaf lied "okay, so did you do what you set out to do?" Fai asked, Iaf looked down "no, I didn't but anyway I better go get the food we need, I'll see you later. Alyx wants to come by later so we'll drop by around sundown 'cause I don't have to work tonight" Iaf said as she walked into the store, Fai and Sakura waved before Fai turned to Sakura "I bet big doggie and little doggie will be hungry when they get back from sword training, so let's cook something good for them!" he told her "yeah!" Sakura replied with a big smile.

Halfway back to the café a couple of cats waved through and around Sakura's legs "ah cats!" she said "you don't see those kind of cat ears often" Fai said "that's true" Sakura replied.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Iaf gave Alyx her late lunch and sat at the table opposite her "have you seen the newspaper today?" Iaf asked, Alyx looked up at her "no, why?" she asked "no reason, but it did say that onis are now attacking civilians so we have to be more on guard" Iaf explained "what really?!" Alyx exclaimed "yes the one that attacked me had also attacked civilians only a few minutes before hand" Iaf told her "oh my god, I can't believe this what is going on with Otou?" Alyx asked "I don't know, anyway I saw Fai and Sakura and told them that we would drop by later" Iaf replied "oh good, at least we won't be unexpected" Alyx said as she put her plate in the sink.

"Well, I told them we'll be over there around sundown" Iaf added "awww, but Ia-chan why sundown?" Alyx complained "because I have things to do today, mostly sleep and it only a few hour away" Iaf replied "so why don't you go and see if Nekoi and Ryou will train with you" she added as she walked out of the room "fine" Alyx muttered as she cleaned up the kitchen and left.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

(Hours later)

Iaf sat down at the table and laid her arrows out evenly so she could see everyone fully "_levitate_" she said moving her hand over the arrows, the arrows started floating in a circle around her slowly, she bunched her fire arrows together with the wind arrows at her right while having the normal arrows at her left "now I know that if fuse my magic with the fire arrows it creates a _big _explosion, the wind one will become shape enough that they could cut through diamonds but I wonder what would happen if I combine those two?" she mused, one of the fire arrows and one of the wind arrows floated out in front of her and they molded into one arrow, it had a red arrowhead like the rest of the fire arrows but it also had wavy blue line through it like on the wind arrows "well let's hope this works" she said making another four before Alyx got home "Hey Iaf are you ready- what the hell?" Alyx exclaimed seeing Iaf surrounded by her arrows "that's something I don't come home to everyday" she said laughing "sorry about this I was just working" Iaf said as the arrows floated back onto the table "oh that's fine I was just a it surprised" Alyx replied "well I'm ready to go how about you?" she added "yea alright" Iaf replied standing up "then let's go" Alyx said pulling Iaf out of the house.

Once they reached the café Iaf opened the door to see Fai leaning over the counter clinging to Kurogane's shirt "I hope we didn't interrupt anything" she said couching loudly, Fai let go of Kurogane's shirt and threw a charming smile at Iaf and Alyx "Iaf-chan! Alyx-chan! Glad you can make it" he said happily "yea well we needed dinner and I didn't want to cook" Iaf mumbled "and you didn't interrupt anything" Kurogane growled "Kuro-pup, was just about to tell me why he was at 'Clover'" Fai chirped "well don't mind us, you have you little chat we can wait" Iaf told them ignoring all the stares from the other customers as she sat down at the counter next to Kurogane.

"I went to check out that new oni story. Didn't that woman say that the new oni is in human form? But how did she know it's an oni?" Kurogane explained _'because that's her job' _Iaf thought listening to the conversation "and?" Fai asked placing tea down in front of them "in this country, arguments and small fights between people are allowed. But that guy uses oni to attack oni hunters. Only an oni can be another oni's companion" Kurogane told him "we could have told you that" Alyx said happily, Kurogane glanced at Alyx with a small frown _'idiot'_ Iaf thought before putting down her cup "Alyx they wanted to find out on their own, you don't need to hurt what little pride he has" she said earning a major glare from Kurogane but she ignored it and took another sip of her tea.

"Hey guys, we didn't know you were going to be here" Nekoi greeted when she came though the door with Soma and Kusanagi behind her "well I wasn't planning on it until Iaf came home and said we visiting so here we are" Alyx said "hey where did the other customers go?" she asked looking around to find the place empty besides them "the café closed a few minutes ago" Fai informed her "oh" she said quietly as the others sat down "would you guys like some tea?" Fai asked "yes please" they replied and started chatting.

Twenty minutes later Iaf stood up and stretched "ah! Really, how can it taste so good?" Nekoi said eating her cake "Ryou is very late today" Kusanagi commented "hopefully he won't come too late" Soma replied "Fai-san, can I please have two glasses of water?" Iaf asked, Fai looked confused for a moment before nodding and getting the glasses, handing Iaf the glasses everyone watched as she walked over to the table closest to the door only a few moments before the door flew open revealing Syaoran and Ryou, out of breath and injured "what wrong?" Fai asked as Ryou slumped to the floor "we saw it… the new oni…" Ryou replied as he took deep breaths "you fought with it?!" Nekoi shouted as she and Soma came over to them "no… there was too many oni… so… we ran for it… but… that guy… is super powerful" Ryou told them, Iaf barked a laugh "that asshole is not super powerful, he just sends oni to do his dirty work so he doesn't have to face me the jerk" she growled and handed Ryou one of the glasses "thanks" he said with a grin before sculling down the drink, Iaf turned to Syaoran and started waving her hand in front of his unresponsive face.

After a few minutes Sakura came up beside Iaf, Iaf handed Sakura the glass and sat down at the table. Sakura watched her before shrugging and leaned towards Syaoran "Syaoran-kun, what's wrong?" she asked "the person who was with those oni might be someone I know… that person is the one who taught me how to fight" Syaoran replied.

"Okay Alyx we're leaving" Iaf said getting up "what? But why" Alyx asked also getting up "because a lot of things have happened tonight and Syaoran-kun no doubt has a lot to think over after seeing Seishiro-san, so we're going" Iaf said pulling Alyx out the door "oh and one more thing" she said stopping at the door "I'll be leaving Otou country tomorrow afternoon" she told them "WHAT?!" everyone exclaimed as the door closed and Iaf teleported her and Alyx home.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

The next morning Alyx woke up later then usual, she got up and went into the kitchen expecting to find Iaf who wasn't there "strange" she said and walked upstairs to Iaf's room, she knocked on the door before walking in to find Iaf still sleeping "lazy bum" she scolded sighing, she put her hand on Iaf's forehead to make sure she was okay when her hand felt hot "Iaf, you're burning up!" Alyx exclaimed pulling the blankets off of Iaf "mmm… Alyx, I don't feel well" Iaf mumbled turning her head towards Alyx "that's because you're sick" Alyx replied "sick?! No, I can't be sick I need to sto…" Iaf shot up before she got dizzy and fell back down "you're staying in bed missy, and don't even try arguing" Alyx scolded before leaving to get a face washer to put on Iaf's forehead.

'_Shit, why today of all days? What god hates me that much?' _Iaf thought as she glared at the ceiling, when Alyx came back she put the face washer on Iaf's forehead "now you get some sleep and I'll be back up later to check on you" she told her before leaving the room, Iaf tried to get up but before she could she fell asleep.

(Hours later)

Iaf was woken by Alyx gently shaking her "here Iaf I got you some pain killers" she said helping Iaf sit up, once Iaf was up Alyx handed her the tablets and the glass of water she brought up "thank you" Iaf said taking the items, when Iaf finished taking the pills she laid back down "what time is it?" she asked "um, some time between 2 and 3 I think, why?" Alyx replied "no reason" Iaf assured her "well I'll let you get some sleep" Alyx said walking out of the room, once the door was closed Iaf got out of bed and put on a tank top and skirt, concentrating as much as she could Iaf closed her eyes _"teleport" _Iaf said and started teleporting away, the door opened to reveal Alyx standing there "Iaf, I just wanted to know if yo-?" Alyx stopped when she saw Iaf vanish from view "IAF!"

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Nekoi, Ryou, Kusanagi and Soma were sitting at a café having a late lunch together when Alyx came running up to them "guys!" she called out "hey Alyx what are you doing?" Kusanagi asked when Alyx reached them "this is important, have you guys seen Iaf?" Alyx asked ignoring Kusanagi's question "no" they all said "why you looking for Iaf-chan?" Ryou asked "because she's missing" Alyx replied "what?" Kusanagi, Nekoi and Ryou said "she did say she was leaving today, do you think she left Otou?" Soma asked as everyone got up "no! She can't leave, she's very sick. This morning she had a high fever and could hardly sit up without getting dizzy!" Alyx exclaimed "what?!" the others shouted in unison "we have to find her!" Nekoi and Ryou shouted together "of course, what friends would we be if we didn't" Soma replied "but where do we start?" Kusanagi asked, everyone looked sheepish when they realized that they had no idea where to start looking "why don't we try Fai-san" Alyx said and everyone looked at her "why Fai-san?" Nekoi asked "well we found out that they were the ones Iaf was waiting for and I think that's the first place Iaf will try, if not we can ask Fai-san for his help" Alyx said "your right, let's go" Ryou cheered and took off with the others at his heels.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Iaf appeared right outside the cat's eye café "a bit off target but it will do" Iaf puffed before she walked inside to find the place in ruins "oh no" she whispered in shock "Iaf-chan!" Mokona shouted from the couch "Mokona, where's Fai?" Iaf asked, dreading the answer "Fai was attacked by monsters" Mokona told her "I was too late" Iaf cursed and turned to leave "Mokona take care of Sakura" she added before leaving, once outside Iaf put up her disguise so she wouldn't be recognized and got out of site just before Syaoran and Kurogane came running past "that was close" she said before walking off towards the Sakura trees.

When she got close she hid again as Syaoran ran past, as she was coming out of her hiding spot she had another dizzy spell "oh no" she said as she fell back down and blacked out.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

"Fucking oni! No way are you getting in my way of finding Iaf!" Alyx yelled as she slashed through the endless stream of oni "Alyx we're right behind you" Nekoi said "of course, no oni is going to beat me" Ryou added with a cheesy smile "look there's the cat's eye!" Soma shouted pointing to the little café down the street that had a huge oni on the roof, suddenly a huge spiral beam shot out of the roof destroying the oni "what the…?" Kusanagi wondered as the reached the café and found Kurogane standing in the middle of the rubble that used to be the cat's eye café "are you alright?!" Nekoi and Ryou shouted as they ran up to him "this place is…"

"Terrible" Kusanagi said finishing Soma's sentence "KYAAAAAAAA! What happened to 'Little kitty'?" Nekoi yelled just spotting Sakura slung over Kurogane's shoulder "she fell asleep" Kurogane replied "what about 'Little doggie'?" Ryou asked concerned about Syaoran "forget about that! I can't find Iaf who is still running around sick as hell!" Alyx screamed throwing a few bricks at the remaining wall "so the other brat has gone missing too, huh?" Kurogane said "Iaf-chan was here a few minutes ago!" Mokona shouted "what?!" everyone except Kurogane shouted just before an earthquake struck "what's going on?" Kusanagi wondered "I don't care, where is Iaf meat bun?" Alyx asked with a menacing face, scaring the crap out of Mokona, Nekoi and Ryou "Mokona don't know, Iaf-chan came in said a few things and left" Mokona replied "what did she say?" Alyx asked getting irritated "she came in and said 'oh no' when she saw the mess, then Mokona said 'Iaf-chan' then Iaf-chan asked where Fai-san was and Mokona told Iaf-chan that Fai-san got attacked and then Iaf-chan said 'I was too late' and then told Mokona to look after Sakura before running out which was a few seconds before Kuro-pup and Syaoran-kun came in" Mokona explained "but we didn't see her… wait are you saying she knew this was going to happen?" Kurogane growled at Mokona "that's probably why she was desperate to get out of bed this morning even though she was really sick" Alyx said remembering this morning.

"We cant worry about that now" Ryou said waving his arms about and hitting a piece of wood sticking out of the ground "ouch!" he shouted and looked at his hand which was now bleeding "huh, why am I bleeding? Even though I'm in the 'dream capsule'?" he added before everyone started vanishing.

When they appeared they were somewhere new "this is… Fairy park?!" Nekoi said looking around at the place that was being destroyed be oni "why did we come back here in the form we had in Otou?" Ryou asked looking down at himself "Look" Mokona shouted pointing from Kurogane's shirt "it's Seishiro!" everyone looked at where Mokona was pointing and saw a man in a cloak standing on a huge bird oni, Seishiro turned to look at them "so that's the bastard Iaf was after" Alyx said glaring at him, Kurogane handed Kusanagi Sakura "uh, um…" Kusanagi stumbled for words "where are you going?" Soma asked "that guy is here, but the kid isn't. The sky's almost bright, now it's my turn" Kurogane replied.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

Iaf woke up to find herself in Fairy Park "what the fuck? This is not where I fell unconscious" she said finding herself on a ledge with nowhere to go looking down she saw Kurogane facing off with Seishiro "come on Kurogane" she whispered knowing it won't do much good, looking further down she found everyone else even Fai and Syaoran "I'm glad they're safe" she said and watched as something shot out of Mokona's mouth right between Kurogane and Seishiro "just about time to make my appearance" she said standing up as best as she could, her vision blurring a bit.

She watched as Sakura's feather came out of Seishiro's chest and as Otou and Edonisu mixed scenery so to speak. Iaf stood back as the platform that Seishiro was on rose to about her level she took out her crossbow that she managed to grab before she left home and saw Syaoran standing on another platform further away.

Iaf leaned against the beam that was holding her ledge in place as the I-1 materialized into view with another giant oni "well hello Oruha-san" Iaf said smirking as Seishiro started asking Oruha questions "suck shit!" Iaf shouted when Seishiro found out that he was wrong, everyone looked at her "IAF!" just about everyone yelled but Iaf ignored them "I would have told you that myself if you had stuck around the last time we met" she told Seishiro who smiled "do I know you?" he asked, Iaf's jaw dropped "why you, self-absorbed bloody bastard!!!" Iaf yelled at him "Iaf-chan!" Alyx called out "what?!" Iaf shouted back irritated "did you have your disguise the last time you met him?" she asked "no, why?" Iaf wondered "because you have it on now" Alyx shouted "shit!" Iaf cursed and took her disguise off and watched as Seishiro's eyes widened a bit in shock before going back to normal "oh it's you" he said "you asshole! Is that all you have to say after I ran all around Otou after you and the two times I met you, you ran off so I couldn't tell you the one fucking sentence I wanted to say which is Kamui and Subaru ain't here! And I know that because I know which world they are in and I'm not telling you, you asshole!" Iaf yelled out all in one breath "wait you know where the vampire twins are?!" Seishiro asked, Iaf nodded "well I would say I do seeing as how I spent six month with them before I moved on to the next world and if you want me to tell you where they are you are going to have to defeat me and trust me Kamui's a good teacher" Iaf said getting into a fighting stance "well it's obvious I won't win with all these people here and seeing as how they aren't here I don't see any reason in staying in this world" Seishiro said "please wait!" Syaoran shouted, Iaf watched as Syaoran argued with Seishiro but her vision was going black again "shit" Iaf whispered as she fell over the edge of the ledge "IAF!!!!!" Alyx screamed and everyone watched as Iaf fell towards the ground, suddenly the oni holding Oruha caught Iaf and gently put her on the ground in front of them "Iaf!" Alyx said as they ran up to her.

Iaf slowly sat up and smiled "sorry about that, I guess the fever got the best of me" she said standing up "Iaf you have to stay down" Nekoi told her "not right now, Mokona my bag please" Iaf replied turning to Mokona who was in Fai's arms "Okay Iaf-chan" Mokona replied and spat out Iaf's bag "hey I thought we lost that" Fai said pointing to the bag "oh sorry Fai-san, I asked Mokona to hold it for me so nothing would happen to it" Iaf told him and pulled out her key (don't know how she still has it) and unlocked it "hey you are our brat" Kurogane growled "hey who are you calling a brat? And next time you have to carry me when we travel to the next world do you mind holding on tighter so I don't end up in the world two weeks earlier then you" she scolded him "you lied to us" he growled back "well I had to, sorry if I tried to stop this from happening" Iaf growled and turned away from him "that not everything" Kurogane replied, Iaf's eyes widened but thankfully she was still facing away from everyone "I don't know what your talking about" Iaf said and started walking away "you knew the mage was going to die in Otou country" Kurogane replied, Iaf froze "what?!" Fai exclaimed "what do you mean Kurogane-san?" Iaf asked turning around to face him "the meat bun told us that you turned up a few minutes after he died and when he told you what had happened to the mage you said 'I was too late' isn't that right?" he asked Iaf who was sending Mokona the meanest death glares she could "well I think that answers that question" Kurogane said walking off but not far, Fai walked towards Iaf "Iaf-chan why did you lie to us? Why didn't you stay with us?" he asked sadly, Iaf looked up at him with tears in her eyes "how could I Fai?" she asked angrily "how could I come to you then watch you die in front of me, even though it wasn't real, or sit around twiddling my thumbs knowing this was going to happen and not being able to do anything because I would be asked questions every time I left the place and not being able to tell you anything" Iaf said turning away from him "Syaoran-kun!" she shouted watching as Syaoran lunged at Seishiro with his sword drawn and went straight through him "was he defeated?" Ryou asked "no… he got away" Fai replied "bastard" Iaf mumbled "Iaf are you still leaving?" Alyx asked "yes I am, but here…" Iaf closed her eyes and concentrated "_clone_" a bright light surrounded Iaf and split into two, when the light dimmed it revealed two Iaf's "what the…?" everyone wondered "I used some of my magic to create this clone, so as long as I'm alive it will be to. I'll leave the clone here so it'll be like I never left" Iaf said "but it won't be you" Alyx said "I know but would you rather this or nothing at all" Iaf asked sadly "I'll miss you Iaf" Alyx said hugging her "don't forget us!" Nekoi and Ryou shouted as they joined in.

A huge surge of magic caught everyone's attention and Iaf looked to see Seishiro standing in one of Yuuko's magic circles "get ready Fai-san" Iaf said as she got out of the group hug "Seishiro-san!" Syaoran shouted as he made one last lunge at Seishiro for the feather and barely missing it "Mokona?" Fai wondered as Mokona grew wings "what the…?!" Ryou shouted staring at Mokona wide eyed "Mokona is being pulled by Seishiro-san's magical item. It is because the power came from the witch that the power source is the same" Fai commented "well either way we are leaving this world" Iaf sighed sadly, Fai walked over to Kusanagi "thank you very much for taking care of Sakura-chan, Kuro-rin! Syaoran-kun! It's time to say goodbye to this world" Fai said as Iaf moved to stand next to him "huh/eh?" Kurogane and Syaoran said as they turned towards Fai and Iaf "what do you mean 'goodbye'?!" Nekoi exclaimed "just a minute!" Ryou shouted stepping forward, suddenly the Tsubasa group was surrounded by the usual magic goo they travel with and the others were digitalizing back into their real world clothes "Little doggie!" Ryou shouted stepping towards Syaoran "it's Syaoran, that's my real name" Syaoran replied "Syaoran, when will we meet again?" Ryou asked "I don't know. But, I won't give up, so that I'll become stronger for sure" Syaoran told him and Ryou grinned "yeah!" he replied.

(Same time Ryou was talking with Syaoran)

"Iaf I'll miss you" Alyx said hugging her friend "I'll miss you too Alyx, but I'll communicate through my clone to you when I get the chance" Iaf replied as Alyx stepped back "please for my sake, stay safe" Alyx begged and Iaf nodded "good and you…" she started turning to Fai "you better look after her or heaven help you, I'll find a way to cross dimensions just to kick your ass, got it?" Alyx growled "of course I'll look after Iaf-chan she's precious to everyone" Fai replied _but what am I to you? _Iaf thought looking over at Fai "very well I'll hold you to that" Alyx said before giving Fai a light hug, being careful of Sakura who was still asleep in his arms "thank you for everything" she told him "okay kiddo, you be good" Kusanagi said ruffling Iaf's hair "be careful and don't put yourself in danger" Soma added giving Iaf a quick hug "I'll miss all you guys, but I have to go" Iaf replied "friends forever" she added "friends forever" they replied before Iaf and the others disappeared from that world.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^


	11. Chapter 11

Iaf landed on the ground and looked around "if I remember correctly we're at the place with the rabbit looking creatures" she said then noticed something "I'm alone again" she stated angrily before walking off.

After a while she came to the rabbits village "hello?" she called out and lots of rabbits poked their heads out of little huts "what is it? A demon? Another one? A creature? Is it here to hurt us?" Iaf heard the rabbits whisper to each other, Iaf got an idea "I am here to help, I heard you have a demon problem, is that correct?" Iaf asked as she kneeled down "yes! The demon attacks our village, but how can you help?" one of the rabbits asked "well you see, I'm an angel" Iaf replied before muttering _"wings" _under her breath, a pair of white feathery wings emerged from her back and the rabbit stared at her in awe "a-a angel" they stuttered "yes and if you go into the forest you'll find my warriors, bring them back here and you can get rid of the demon" Iaf said with a kind smile "yes find the warriors! Bring them back!" the rabbits chorused "can I please have a place to sleep?" Iaf asked as she suddenly felt sleepy and dizzy _'I guess I'm still sick and using my magic must prolong my getting better… that sounded crap' _Iaf thought as one of the rabbits grabbed her hand and led her to one of the bigger huts.

Once inside Iaf tried to make her wings disappear but every time she tried she would get very dizzy and start swaying, the wing still on her back "I think my magic won't work when I'm sick, I was lucky to bring these wing out but now I won't be able to take them away without getting worse so I'll have to wait until I'm better" Iaf sighed and sat down on the bed "um, Angel-sama?" one of the rabbits spoke up from her doorway "yes?" she asked, the rabbit held out her bag "is this yours?" it asked, Iaf smiled "yes it is, thank you so much" she replied patting the rabbit on the head, the rabbit put the bag against the wall and turned to leave "wait" Iaf called out, the rabbit turned around "yes?"

"What's your name?" Iaf asked kneeling in front of the rabbit "name?" the rabbit wondered "what does everyone else call you?" Iaf asked kindly "Siiona" Siiona replied "well Siiona, do you want to be my friend?" Iaf offered "a friend? I've never had one of those before…" Siiona trailed off "why? Your very cute and kind" Iaf told her "yes but the rest of the village are idiots, because I use full sentences and I'm smarter they think I'm weird but I learnt to ignore them and they stay away from me" Siiona explained "oh you poor girl" Iaf said hugging her "you're my friend from now on, got it?" Iaf ordered playfully "yes" Siiona replied "can you do me a favor and check on how the search for my warriors is going?" Iaf asked, Siiona nodded "sure, have a good sleep Angel-sama" Siiona replied before walking out of the hut, Iaf yawned before laying on the bed on her side, one of her wings laid out on the bed while the other went over her covering her like a blanket. Iaf yawned once more before slowly falling asleep.

Sakura slowly woke up from her sleep, she sat up and rubbed her eyes "I fell asleep halfway through something again… I wonder what happened to the 'Cat's eye' dishes…" she said still half asleep, Sakura started rubbing her eyes again "I guess it's morning… I have to… help…" Sakura's eyes widened when she saw she wasn't in the café anymore but a gigantic jungle "kyaaa!" she screamed "your awake?" Syaoran asked coming through a few bushes "Syaoran-kun! Where…"

"We're not in Otou anymore" Syaoran told her "did we transport while I was asleep? When things are tough… I'm always sleeping" Sakura said sadly "Princess Sakura…" Syaoran started "it's because… we haven't returned all your feathers yet. Seishiro-san… he taught me how to fight when I was little. He had one of your feathers. But he left the world, and we couldn't stop him" Syaoran explained clenching his hand, Sakura took his hand in hers. "Syaoran-kun, are you hurt?" she asked "…no" Syaoran replied "really?" Sakura pressed "r-really" Syaoran said with a surprised face.

"Kurogane-san? Fai-san? Moko-chan?" Sakura asked "everyone's fine" Syaoran replied "good, I'm glad nobody is hurt" Sakura said with a smile "princess…" Syaoran said a bit lost for words. Suddenly there was a rustle from one of the trees behind Syaoran, he turned around just as a bunch of things flew out of the tree towards them. Syaoran kicked one that came straight for him and blinked in surprise _'a nut!' _he thought as the coconut fell to the ground in pieces.

Syaoran saw a bunch of black figures moving in the trees before another round of coconuts flew towards them, Syaoran kicked the coconuts that came towards them as Sakura stepped back out of the way, one of the black blobs that was in the bushes pulled on a rope "kyaa!" Sakura screamed as she was lifted into the tree by a net "princess!" Syaoran shouted turning around to Sakura, one of the coconut flew at Syaoran and hit him in the back of the head "Syaoran-kun!" Sakura shouted as Syaoran fell to the ground unconscious "Syaoran-kun!"

"it's no good~ it's no good the~ trampling of the maiden's heart~" Mokona sang as it rode on Fai's shoulder "you sing well, Mokona!" Fai cheered clapping "I dance well too" Mokona replied, Kurogane scoffed "we're even scouting a new country (while looking for Iaf-chan), and Kuro-chuu still isn't happy" Fai said, Kurogane glared at Fai making him shrink back in mock fear "was it because you were in the middle of fighting Seishiro-san?" Fai asked him "what the hell was that witch thinking? Interrupting a fight!" Kurogane growled "and then afterwards, while we were still confused, we got transported" Fai replied. "I don't even remember that much" Mokona said to Fai "thanks to that, Syaoran and Kuro-ron both have swords" Fai added taping the sword Kurogane got in Otou that was strapped to his waist "it was pretty well timed when the game world, and reality were both returning to normal when Mokona sucked us in" Fai explained "but, I wonder why the witch of dimensions sent this?" he added staring quizzedly at the note on a stick.

"What is it about?" Fai wondered as he took the note "it's a letter from Yuuko!" Mokona cheered, Fai opened the letter and they looked at it. Fai and Kurogane couldn't read the witch's writing because she wrote in her worlds writing, Mokona clapped as it read the letter "so?" it questioned Kurogane "I don't understand it!" he roared while Fai danced around holding the letter, Kurogane moved some bushes to see Sakura stuck up in a tree "Sakura-chan!" Fai called out and helped her out of the net "what happened?" he asked "Syaoran-kun was kidnapped!" she shouted.

Siiona watched as the other dimwitted rabbits brought Syaoran into the village and tied him to the totem pole "what the hell are they doing?" she asked herself as she walked towards Iaf's tent "Angel-sama?" she called out, Iaf lifted her head from her bed "I'm sorry, did I wake you up?" Siiona asked as she entered the tent "no I woke up a few minutes ago, I'm sorry to ask this but can you get me a drink of water? I'm still sick from my travels" Iaf asked, Siiona's eyes widened "o-of course" she said running out of the tent, Iaf sat up and put a glowing hand to her stomach "well that takes care of the stomach pain" she said to herself as Siiona came rushing in holding a cup with water in it "here you go Angel-sama" she said holding it out to her "thank you Siiona, but please I want you to leave for now because I don't want to get you sick as well and all I'll be doing is sleeping" Iaf said, Siiona looked down but nodded understanding that Iaf only wanted to keep her safe "okay Angel-sama" she bowed before leaving the tent.

Iaf sighed and drank the water before sitting cross-legged on her bed "okay time to try and contact Alyx, Nekoi and the others" Iaf said to herself before going into a meditation like trance (without the "ohm").

Focusing all her mind on her friends she opened her eye to find herself back in Otou "I'm in Otou? I thought that it was destroyed, I expected to find myself in Fairy Park" she said to herself and looked around to see that she was in a house but it was different from her last one "Iaf what are you doing standing around? I need your help" Alyx called out as she entered the room "Alyx?" Iaf questioned "yes?" Alyx wondered "why is Otou back, I thought it as destroyed when Seishiro merged the worlds" she said turning towards Alyx "Iaf that was a month ago" Alyx replied "what? I only left this world yesterday!" Iaf shouted, eyes wide with shock "left?... wait Iaf? You're our Iaf?" Alyx asked grabbing Iaf's arms "whoever said I was yours?" Iaf said with a smirk, Alyx smiled and jumped on Iaf "Iaf you called!" she said hugging her "well you could call it that" Iaf replied "we have to go see the others, they're in the park" Alyx said pulling Iaf out the door.

When they got to the park Alyx pulled Iaf straight over to Nekoi, Ryou, Soma and Kusanagi "hey Alyx, what's wrong?" Soma asked when she stopped in front of them.

"She's our Iaf!" she shouted pulling Iaf in front of her "I thought I just told you I'm not yours" Iaf said smiling "Iaf!" everyone shouted and Nekoi and Ryou jumped on her "look I'm all happy that you remember me, but I don't have long because I'm still sick and every time I use magic it takes longer to get better" Iaf explained "wait you've been sick for a month?" Kusanagi asked "no, it's only been a day since I left Fairy Park… don't ask me how- wait what was that?" she wondered "what?" Alyx asked "no nothing I think I heard someone shout from my end don't worry, so anyway what happened? I thought Otou country was gone after what happened with Seishiro" Iaf asked "well after you left everything went back to normal but Otou had a few bugs and viruses so it took two weeks to get Otou back up" Soma explained "but when they did get it back up they pulled the files on everyone who was in the game before that happened and was able to give everyone their status, level, inventory-"

"But everyone lost where they were living and all their money, so the company gave everyone 1000 each to get started" Ryou said cutting Kusanagi off, Nekoi nodded "yep, so we had to find somewhere else to live" she added cheerfully "wow, well nothing much has happened with me because it's only been a day since I left, but what I can tell you is that I'm in a little village, in the middle of a giant jungle and I'm separated from the others" Iaf told them "WHAT! You're sick and ALONE!" Alyx shouted like a banshee "no, I'm with the locals" Iaf replied "and don't worry I know that the others are going to come through here sooner or later, I have to go I'll try to stay in touch but with the different times I don't know how long that will be for you" Iaf added sadly "Iaf, you can't go" Alyx, Nekoi and Ryou complained "but I have to or I'll get sicker" Iaf replied "then go" Alyx told her firmly "if staying here is making you sick, I don't want you here so leave" Alyx said turning away from her, Iaf smiled "goodbye guys" she said before closing her eyes and opening them to find herself back in her hut in the jungle.

"That was fun, I'll just have another nap" she told herself before crawling back into bed and falling asleep.

(10 minutes earlier)

Siiona exited the hut to see Syaoran awake, still tied to the pole and everyone else dancing around it "I don't like where this is going" she said to herself as she walked towards them "we caught it, we caught it!" the rabbits were singing "ceremony! Ceremony!"

"Ceremony?" Syaoran wondered out loud "wah!" the rabbits screamed in fright "those dumbasses are going to wake up Angel-sama with all this racket" Siiona growled to herself "it spoke? It spoke?" the rabbits wondered leaning towards Syaoran "uh-huh" he replied "it answered! It answered!" they screamed backing off a few feet.

Siiona growled and let off a murderous aura scaring the rabbits closest to her _'they better shut the hell up or so help me…' _the left the thought trailing when she saw the rabbits grab torches "what are they…" she wondered before scrambling forward as they lit the logs underneath Syaoran "wah…!" Syaoran exclaimed "cook him! Let's! Let's!" the rabbits sung "maybe he'll be tasty" one of the rabbits said dancing around with a torch "what?" Syaoran exclaimed "w-wait!" Siiona shouted in hopes they'll listen to her. (A few minutes before Iaf actually went to sleep).

Sakura led Fai and Kurogane across the jungle in the direction she saw the rabbits take Syaoran "you said Syaoran was caught by little people with tails and ears?" Fai asked Sakura "they took him this way!" Sakura shouted back not slowing down a bit "I wonder how his Otou country training is going…" Kurogane said to himself "that ivy I was trapped in… that seems to have saved me!" Sakura told them "well, there were only those type of situations in Otou country. But the kid still can't handle a sword" Kurogane said, Fai looked back at him "what a strict teacher!" he chirped "over there! Smoke!" Mokona shouted from Sakura's shoulder.

They burst through the plants and bushes into the village "Syaoran-kun!" Sakura shouted as Kurogane got into his fighting stance "ah" Syaoran said happily as he was sitting down with the rabbits eating. Sakura fell over anime style.

"Are you alright?" Syaoran asked getting up and walking over, Sakura jumped up and shook her head "but Syaoran-kun…" Sakura trailed off and reached up touching the back of his head "you got a bruise" she said sadly while Syaoran blushed.

"I'm fine, besides we've got a situation" Syaoran replied "situation?" Fai questioned looking over at the rabbits "what the hell are you?" Kurogane asked with a glare that sent the rabbits hiding behind Syaoran in a single line "well, this guy… he may look scary, but for the time being, he doesn't bite" Fai chirped happily while Kurogane frowned "what's 'for the time being' supposed to mean?" he asked Fai with a big glare "that it's okay to look scary!" Fai chirped back.

"Look will you people please shut up!" Siiona growled earning everyone's attention "I don't care if you talk or whatnot but don't shout because Angel-sama is sleeping" Siiona told them before walking over to Iaf's tent and sitting down in front of the door.

"Angel-sama?" Fai wondered out loud "yes Angel-sama came to us and told us about you as good sacrifices" one of the rabbits told them "find her warriors and bring them back she said" another rabbit added "they will get rid of the demon she said" another rabbit added "what are you talking about?" Kurogane growled "that's all you'll get, that creature over there is the only one that speaks properly" Syaoran told them pointing to Siiona who was watching them closely.

"Come sit and they'll tell you the full story" Syaoran said sitting down next to the fire, the others sat down too.

"I hear there's demons. They come out of the forest, but moreover they are inside the sea of trees. They appeared and suddenly destroyed people's homes" Syaoran explained "we fought them, but it was no use" the rabbits told them "those terrible things told us to give them sacrifices, and if we give them tasty sacrifices, they'd stop their rampage. Them Angel-sama told us about warriors in the forest"

"So it seems you were going to sacrifice tasty Syaoran-kun" Fai said with a smile "even though I look tasty too" Mokona said from Syaoran's head "so if you were cooked, something would come and eat you?" Kurogane asked Syaoran "I've heard the story of these demons before. And it seems they really did suddenly appear" Syaoran replied "seems similar to situations we've encountered so far with Sakura's feathers" Fai said "the terrible thing might be invisible, so he said" one of the rabbits told them motioning to Syaoran "he asked us details, so we sat him down"

"And if you sit together, you're comrades. If you're comrades, you eat together" another rabbit said as they hugged Syaoran "Mokona, any sign of a feather?" Syaoran asked "…yes, I feel it. Its close" Mokona replied "so it's demon hunting, huh?" Kurogane said smiling "Kuro-sama looks happy! You upped the tension, but you're not all the way there yet" Fai said cheerfully "I'm going too!" Sakura stated firmly and a bit too loudly, for Siiona sent a dark glare her way "princess…" Syaoran started "I don't want to become a burden, so I'll do my best. Please let me come with you!" Sakura said with determination "princess…" Syaoran repeated with a slight smile.

The rabbits took them to the Sea of Trees, they were about to leave when the rabbits stopped them "not everyone can go! No way!" they shouted "eh?" Syaoran wondered as the rabbits calmed down "if you don't return, we won't have a sacrifice. Leave one behind" one of them said "they've got a tight hold on things" Fai laughed while the kids looked shocked, Kurogane looked like Kurogane "but who would…" Syaoran wondered "leaving Mokona would be a problem (in a pinch, we wouldn't be able to understand each other). And Kuro-rii looks like he's all ready to go" Fai explained "Guess I'm staying!" he added as he put his hand "but…!" Sakura protested "Sakura, go and come back. It might be dangerous, but you still want to go right?" Fai asked "yes" Sakura answered "besides, while I'm here I'll ask around and see if I can find any info on Iaf-chan's location" he told her, as they walked along the tree trunks, Fai started waving his arms around wildly "I'll cheer you on from here!" he shouted "let's get going" Kurogane said ignoring the idiot "to the Sea of Trees, where the demon lives" Syaoran stated firmly.

Siiona looked around to see a few of the villagers that decided to stay behind "well at least we got rid of the loud ones" she mumbled to herself "Siiona?" Siiona looked up to see Iaf sticking her head out of the hut "I thought I heard shouting" she said rubbing her eyes "it was just some idiots being loud, I asked them to be quiet for you" Siiona replied "so please go back inside and rest"

"Thank you Siiona" Iaf said smiling and she went back inside.

A few minutes later Siiona watched as the rabbits came back with Fai _why didn't he go? _She thought as they sat him down near the fire.

"Oi!" she snapped at one of the rabbits that came near her "y-yes?" it asked "why is he here?" she asked pointing to Fai "well if they all went and didn't come back, we wouldn't have a sacrifice, so it stayed" the rabbit told her before scurrying off.

"Dumb idiots" she grumbled before hearing Iaf cough badly "Angel-sama" she sighed worried for her health "I better get her some more water" she said to herself. She looked around before pulling out a sign from nowhere and sticking it in the ground in front of Iaf's tent, it read:

**Stay away or you will die a horrible death by my hands, Siiona.**

She nodded to herself then walked off to get water. At the river Siiona sighed "I'm not sure I want Angel-sama to go, I mean I know she has to but… she's my only friend and I don't want to lose her" she argued with herself while she started to walk back.

When she returned to the village she saw that nobody had touched her sign and on close inspection there were no footprints near the tent to suggest that anyone had been near it, Siiona smiled slightly before walking into the tent to find Iaf asleep again.

Siiona didn't want to wake her up so she placed the cup beside the bed before walking out again.

Fai watched as Siiona came out of the tent and sat down at the door, a sad look on her face "excuse me, but who is she?" he asked one of the rabbits next to him "that's Siiona" the rabbit replied "she's strange, no one goes near her" another added "she is also the angel's caretaker" the first one told him, Fai watched as Siiona sat there fiddling with a stick while her face changed between looks of sadness to worry and back again "I'm going to talk to her" he declared standing up, the rabbits looked at him in shock as he walked over to Siiona "hello" he greeted, Siiona looked up in surprise "your Siiona, right?" he asked, Siiona nodded "that's right, who are you?" she asked narrowing her eyes as she stood up, Fai bent down on his knees so he could be eye level with her "my name is Fai" he replied "can I ask what is wrong? You seem sad" he added as Siiona moved slightly across so she was blocking his entrance into the tent "why do you want to know?" she asked "I want to know so I can see if there is anything I can do to help" Fai replied, Siiona's eyes widened "really?" she asked, Fai nodded with a smile "well alright, you see Angel-sama is sick and I don't know what to do, I've given her water and she has slept most of the day but she keeps couching badly" Siiona explained "that does sound bad, you really care for Angel-sama don't you?" Fai wondered "of course! Angel-sama is my only friend and I don't like to see her this way" Siiona exclaimed, Fai smiled "can I please see Angel-sama? I might be able to help her" he asked, Siiona though over it a for a few minutes before agreeing "fine but don't do anything strange, I'll be right here at the door" she said opening the flap "okay, I'll be very careful" Fai assured her before stepping in he hut. But what Fai saw made his jaw drop "…Iaf"

"So, where is this demon?" Kurogane asked "Kurogane is full of energy!" Mokona chirped happily "there's something like a cave in this forest. They said it was there" Syaoran told him pointing in the direction they were going.

"I wonder if it's something from this world?" Sakura questioned "I don't know. Maybe its something in this world that suddenly got stronger, or _maybe _it came from another world" Syaoran suggested "like us?" Sakura wondered, a sudden crashing sound caught their attention and they looked forward to see a _giant _tree trunk flying towards them, Syaoran grabbed Sakura and Kurogane jumped forward slicing the tree in half "did you see it?" Kurogane asked holding onto another tree (that was stuck into the ground) "no. Nothing at all" Syaoran replied watching as the winds picked up and blew around in front of them "it seems to have some sort of power, all we have are swords. We can only get closer. Let's go" Kurogane told them, ignoring the meat bun in his top "okay" Syaoran and Sakura replied together.

They continued towards the ferocious winds in front of them.

He walked over to her sleeping form and kneeled down next to her "I'm so happy your safe, you had me worried about you" he said, running a hand along the wing that was folded over her side like a blanket, his eyes widened as he realized the wings were real "well at least I can say you look like an angel" he joked, Iaf's eyes fluttered open "Siiona?" she asked weakly "no" Fai replied softly, Iaf looked up, her eyes barely staying open as she reached out "who…?" Fai flinch when she touched his hand because her skin was freezing "go to sleep, don't worry about anything" Fai told her softly patting her head "your hand is warm" Iaf said lying down "it makes me feel safe" she whispered before falling back asleep, Fai sighed and lightly placed his coat over her smiling as she subconsciously lean into it and pulled it around her tighter "you did that last time I gave you my coat too" he said softly before leaving the tent "did you find out what's wrong with Angel-sama?" Siiona asked "well she had a bit of a fever before coming her so she probably made it worse when she traveled here, when my companions are done with the demon we are going to have to take her so we can get here proper medicine" Fai told her, Siiona looked down sadly "I know she can't stay here but I don't want here to go" she told him "I know that you care for her, but she needs proper medicine or she won't get better" Fai replied, Siiona nodded, Fai pat her on the head before going back over to the other rabbits who proceeded to tell him about the demon.

Syaoran and Kurogane held on to trees next to where the wall of wind began "that's some strong wind!" Mokona shouted before a sudden burst of wind sent Sakura flying backwards "kya!" she screamed, Syaoran let go of the tree, reached out for her and grabbed her hand before grabbing a branch that stuck out of a planted tree to stop him self from flying backwards "Syaoran did it!" Mokona cheered letting go of Kurogane's top the same time another burst of wind blew at them making Mokona fly off Kurogane's shoulder, Kurogane – without looking back – grabbed Mokona and put him back in his top.

"Yay! Thank you!" Mokona shouted happily as he gave Kurogane a kiss "stop that, you white monster!" Kurogane growled "any sign of the feather?" Syaoran shouted over to them "I feel it!" Mokona shouted as the wind started blowing harder "the wind got stronger again!" Syaoran shouted in disbelief " looks like we won't be able to get close to it" Kurogane told him "perhaps it's a magic or rare technique after all!" Syaoran suggested "dunno, maybe that lanky guy could've felf something" Kurogane replied "but Fai is so light, so even if he came with us, he'd probably have been blown away by now!" Mokona told them.

"That's…!" Syaoran shouted seeing a clearing in the wind. "Those trees aren't swaying!" Mokona stated "is that the only place where the wind isn't blowing?" Syaoran asked "a trap?" Kurogane suggested "but the feather's power is getting stronger!" Mokona shouted, another burst of wind surrounded them "we can't get further! The wind! The winnd!" Mokona shouted, his mouth open wide as the wind blew at them.

Sakura looked around "the wind isn't always the same!" she told Syaoran "huh?"

"It gets stronger and weaker!" she explained "so if we go when the wind is weaker, we may reach it" Syaoran realized, he grabbed his sword and unwound it leaving one end tied.

He waited for the wind to get weaker then threw his sword at the trees in the clearing, the sword lodged itself between two close trees and started using the rope to pull himself and Sakura forward "oh, I see!" Mokona cheered "just how exactly is he using that sword?" Kurogane questioned "don't say that Kurogane!" Mokona scolded hitting him with his small paw.

Once in the clearing they found the cave "so where's this demon?" Kurogane asked "there's nothing here, huh?" Mokona replied "maybe the demon's gone out?" Sakura suggested.

"Maybe the demon…" Syaoran trailed off thinking "what?" Kurogane asked "maybe the monster isn't something living, like a _tornado_, that wind wasn't meant to keep us away, its something that occurs in nature" Syaoran explained "huh?" Kurogane questioned "so the tornado was those people's demon?" Sakura asked "but if that's the case… where's the feather?" Syaoran wondered.

Fai stood up "I'm going for a walk" he told the rabbits who nodded "stay where we can see you" one told him, Fai nodded and walked off to the outskirts of the village and sat down against a tree "I wonder what the others are up to?" he wondered "then there's Iaf…" he looked at his hand, remembering how cold hers was _how do I feel about her? _He thought thinking over everything he's heard.

_Flashback_

…"_but why leave?" Fai asked. "Because I don't want to hurt you!" she yelled tears falling down her cheeks, "I don't want to hurt any of you, I'm sorry"…_

…"_Since the last time we spoke you have more important things in your heart" Yuuko explained…_

…"_Is there something else?" she asked the witch. "Yes the other thing is your love for Yuui"…_

…"_my memories of Yuui…I don't know, I mean I love him with most my heart but maybe it would be better for both of us if I did forget but not right now, right now I need those memories_

…"_Iaf?" Fai asked "I never wanted this to happen!" she yelled, the ice cracked "Iaf?" Fai said as the ice grew up to his shoulder "ice, let him go!" Iaf shouted "yer like that will work" Kurogane mumbled "huh what's happening?" Fai said as the ice around his arm shattered…_

…"_why thank you, and I must say you look stunning in that dress" Fai replied causing Iaf's blush to deepen…_

…"_And this beautiful woman is my hired help's sister." Fai finished, pointing to Iaf. Iaf felt herself go pink…_

…"_would you like a cake Iaf-san?" Fai asked leaning towards her, Iaf looked up and blushed at how close he was "n-n-no th-thank you"…_

…"_oh Iaf do you like this teacher of yours?" Alyx teased "no…maybe I don't know, I've already been told I've got a strong love for somebody but I think the longer I wait, the smaller it gets" Iaf said…_

…"_you have a lovely voice Iaf-san, the song was beautiful" Fai said saving Alyx from answering._

"_You heard that?" Iaf asked shocked as her face went redder then a tomato "yes and you were really good" Fai replied "th-thank you Fai-san" Iaf stuttered…_

…"_I hope we didn't interrupt anything" she said couching loudly with a smile, Fai let go of Kurogane's shirt and threw a charming smile at Iaf and Alyx "Iaf-chan! Alyx-chan! Glad you can make it" he said happily…_

…"_Iaf-chan why did you lie to us? Why didn't you stay with us?" he asked sadly, Iaf looked up at him with tears in her eyes "how could I Fai?" she asked angrily. "How could I come to you then watch you die in front of me, even though it wasn't real, or sit around twiddling my thumbs knowing this was going to happen and not being able to do anything because I would be asked questions every time I left the place and not being able to tell you anything" Iaf said turning away from him…_

…"_your hand is warm" Iaf said lying down "it makes me feel safe" she whispered before falling back asleep, Fai sighed and lightly placed his coat over her smiling as she subconsciously lean into it and pulled it around her tighter "you did that last time I gave you my coat too" he said softly before leaving the hut…_

"And even though she knows my past she still loves me… why Iaf?" Fai asked "I think I do like her, but how much? That's the question"

**A/N: I know the end sounds really sappy, but for the moment it's the best I could come up with. If I think of anything better I'll put that in but for now that's what you got. R & R. **

**P.S. sorry for the long wait.**


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